Meanwhile, in another time
by ElendionneLinwood
Summary: Sakura lost her memories 5 years ago, while she ended up in a strange world who insisted that she was the lost bloodline of the mythical people called the shinobi. On one mission, she accidentally activated a time travelling device which sent her back to the past that she couldn't remember. Surprisingly, 2 other people from the future from her original world were also there.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

 **1\. I borrowed the setting and character from another fanfiction called "The main story of a side character." And this is with permission. Although in this fanfiction, Sakura actually remembers her name. In the original fanfic, Sakura referred to herself as Rose.**

 **I did this because I wanted Sakura to be completely oblivious if she ever went back to the past, but I also want her to be powerful. If you want to understand more about the setting, where Sakura wandered off to another world, read the original fanfic.**

 **2\. The original Naruto story is still by Kishi.**

 **3\. The story is going to revolve around the time travel so the setting is just going to be mentioned in passing, which is the half of this chapter. But for the setting's development, then wait for the other fanfic to update. This is purely about this version of Sakura going back in time.**

 **4\. Since I'm a hopeless romantic, I'm also going to work on the other people's love interests.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

Summary:

Sakura lost her memories 5 years ago, while she ended up in a strange world who insisted that she was the lost bloodline of the mythical people called "the shinobi." They said that she was destined to only realize her true powers when she crossed their land, and that she would save them from impending doom when the time comes. On one mission, she accidentally activated a time travelling device which sent her back to the past that she couldn't remember. Surprisingly, 2 other people from the future from her original world was also there.

Chapter 1:

BOOM!

A loud explosion resounded through the forest. Darkness veiled the already gloomy surroundings as the moon's supposed guiding light was uselessly blocked by the thick shades of the numerous trees.

"Sakura!" A loud shaking voice called out.

Said person immediately grabbed the one who called her and pulled the both of them down to a hiding crouch.

"Hush now, Allison." She whispered quickly. "The mission is still going on! We need to get that runaway kid!"

"You mean that 'criminal'. You know he is, Sakura. He caused nuisance to cities and destroyed properties! Please don't tell me that you intend to 'save him from himself' again, like all those other criminals." Allison accused, scowling. Sakura sighed and just shook her head. It was hard to explain why she did it all the time. They could never really understand her. But as a matter of fact, she couldn't understand herself too. She didn't mean to always be so sympathetic or compassionate. It was…..It was like it was drilled into her system. It was familiar, like a muscle memory, of something that used to happen all the time.

Like someone taught that concept to her a long time ago, that these supposed criminals were most likely misunderstood, pushed to the edges by some horrible experience usually even caused by the very people who wanted to be protected from them. It was like someone used to save these kinds of people all the time, and she happened to be there to witness it. And now, her mind, body, heart and spirit couldn't not do it.

If only she could remember who exactly taught her that.

"Sakura, Allison, are you somewhere here? Where are you guys?" A frantic deep voice called out to them. Sakura rolled her eyes, concentrating on pinpointing the location of this person, and quickly grabbing him down to their side.

"You guys shut up! He's still somewhere near you know! I can't detect his energy. Calvin where have you been?" Sakura growled in a low voice, turning her attention to the new comer. But despite her annoyance, worry shone in her eyes as she inspected the man beside her. Calvin smiled at her in assurance, his perfect teeth flashing in the dark for an instant.

"I was surveilling the place where the bomb went off." He informed them. "He indeed stole those complex bombs from the Lantern City and-"

"YOU INSPECTED THE BOMB? There might have been traps there!" Sakura's voice escalated to a loud whisper. "And why didn't you tell me that you want to inspect before you went there?"

Calvin rolled his eyes. "Sakura, the substance in those bombs are delicate! They would have dissipated already in the wind if I had waited a while longer-"

"But we could have set more shields for your protection just in case you set something off!" Sakura cut him off, her hands shaking in clenched fists.

Calvin placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Yes but it didn't set anything off. I've done it already and nothing bad happened. So are you gonna continue to linger on what ifs or are you finally going to listen to what I'm trying to tell you?"

" _Linger on what ifs", God, Calvin is such a drama queen as usual._ Sakura thought in mild exasperation. But she knew he was right. There were urgent matters to take care of right now, she could always just reprimand him later.

So she nodded, her eyes still narrowed at Calvin, but she turned a little towards Allison. "Track the runaway. Be sure that you are some distance away from him so he wouldn't escape at top speed, but be sure that you're near enough that you won't lose him. We'll trace you once we discussed some things."

Allison nodded, relieved that her commander finally stopped being frantic about their safety for now. Sakura had always been like that.

Calvin Vodouisants, Allison Curandeira and Sakura. This was her team now, ever since James, the man who originally completed this team, abandoned Calvin and Sakura a while back so that he could pursue his own selfish goal. Well, selfish in Allison's opinion. Calvin and Sakura would always blow up on her whenever she voiced out what she thought of their old teammate. She was a mere replacement to the great man. Their original team was a powerful one and it made their city a force to be reckoned with. Their safety was assured and no other city or village would dare attack them while the three stood for their city's protection.

But no matter, replacement or not, both Calvin and Sakura cherished her as if she belonged. Calvin was as sweet as ever, with his bright smile and warm care. The soft, loving man had embraced her into the team and his warmth had always made her comfortable.

And then there's Sakura. Yes, it was just Sakura. No last name. No history. No origins.

Sakura appeared on the edges of their city 5 years ago, down at the sea of nothingness. It was called the sea of nothingness because it was rumored that no one had ever been able to successfully cross that sea before and return back home to tell the tale. It was a theory among many that beyond the endless sea was the world of the shinobi. Of course, according to their schools, the shinobi was just a myth. No such person who could mold energy of elements and power into utility could exist.

Not that their own world was devoid of magic either. After all, there were many bloodlines in the different cities of the West that created various creatures and magical affinities, existing in various sectors. For example, she was from a family of healers. Her nature was protection so she could make any medicinal herb appear and create the strongest kinds of medicine on the spot. She could also create powerful shields. Calvin, on the other hand, was from a family of witches. He could summon the powers of timeless generations of magi and perform ancient magical prowess. James was from the sons of the god of the skies. They could control elements of the sky, and it was said that the most powerful among them could control the whole sky itself.

But Sakura….she was a shinobi. When Calvin and James found her, they were in the middle of the mission. So they had needed to pull her along. They couldn't bear to just leave her there because she looked really lost and weak. When they got in trouble, Sakura reacted instinctively and punched a massive rock that was supposed to be heading towards James.

The rock shattered in pieces.

Upon inspection, they found out that Sakura had used that kind of energy… _chakra_ …as they called it, to gather into her hands and use that collected energy to punch the rock. And then she used it again to heal her bruised hand.

The President of their city was thrilled to finally have found this mythical person, right at the edge of the sea that supposedly lead to their world.

But the problem was….Sakura couldn't remember anything but her name.

And she couldn't figure out either where exactly she came from, or how she got here.

It was all a mumble of suspicion at first. After all, no one actually knew who she was. And yet there she was, wielding a powerful kind of magic that was supposed to be just a myth. But both Calvin and James had put their faith in her and protected her from all allegations set against her. They put her in their team and became a powerful and admirable force. And after many missions of saving people and countless cities and villages, the people finally put their trust on this mysterious stranger.

Of course, their President wouldn't be deterred. Sakura was still a mythical creature that was yet to be discovered. So he continued to observe her, and helped her remember up to some extent what her powers were, and gave her some books and scrolls on other powers she could extend to.

The amazing thing was, Sakura was actually a legend, the lost bloodline of the shinobi. There had been a prophecy before that the lost bloodline bearer of the shinobi would cross towards their land. This shinobi would be the one to save them from impending doom. This shinobi would not realize her true strength until she crossed their land, because in her own world, she was tied down to a curse of being the mere support.

For once upon a time, there was a Hagoromo Otsutsuki who was known to the shinobi world as the Sage of Six paths, the god of the shinobi. So, Hagoromo has 2 sons, Indra and Asura. Hagoromo would choose the loving son Asura to be his successor instead of the talented one Indra. And they would start to wage war because of it. Unknown to all, Hagoromo had another child, Heiwa. In common terms, it meant peace. She had vowed to always be the strand of balance between the 2 brothers and to dedicate her life and her descendants' life to keeping the peace in their family. She had inherited the original powers not only of her father but also of Kaguya, the first shinobi. She has control of the environment and dimensions and ultimately a lot of otherworldly powers. She was said to be stronger than both her brothers if she really tried. However, she would spend her life trying to stop her brothers from fighting, trying to lessen the damage they caused, trying to keep people around them safe. Her powers would never be realized. And the same fate shall be passed on to her descendants. Indra passed on the fate of hatred. Asura passed on the fate of determination. Heiwa passed on the fate of support.

This was a bedtime story to their world, because it was supposed to be just a fairytale.

Until Sakura came along, and the slip of chakra paper turned into a sparkle of rainbow in her hands instead of affirming her elemental nature. It was supposed to burn if she was fire, crumble if she was earth, get drenched if she was water, cut in half if she was wind, wrinkled if she was lightning. But it glowed in rainbow colors instead.

She was the lost bloodline, the legend that would save their world in the future. And funnily enough, the President guessed that even Sakura's actual former self wouldn't know that she was a lost bloodline. After all, she would only break from her curse and realize her powers once she entered their world. And now she did.

Noone truly understood her powers, but Sakura could probaby control anything and everything. It was always just a matter of speed to her, to figure out what to use and how to use it. She was still trying to discover her powers, since no one in their world could, none of them being a shinobi.

That was why James became her ultimate rival. Everyone knew that Sakura and James really mattered to each other when it came to it. James had always protected Sakura and Sakura had always managed to pull James out from his darkness. They were almost equal in strengths, because James was incredibly fast and a striking genius at that. But while Sakura could manipulate anything, James would usually be one step ahead of her before she could do anything. And that was why James managed to escape their city, disabling and beating up Sakura in the process, and became a missing dangerous person on the list of every city around the West.

Sakura and Calvin were devastated after that. But while they suffered in longing for their lost teammate, possibly until now, they continued to save the lives of people in their missions.

Sakura was devoted and loyal, with a quick temper, but she would always put the feelings and safety of others around her before anything else. That was why she would usually end up even saving the criminals they should have been hunting down, and made them turn themselves in. It was incredible to watch, but it grossly violated protocol. But that was Sakura for you.

"Allison, do you understand?" Sakura's voice broke her dozing thoughts. Allison shook her thoughts away for the moment and focused on her mission. Sakura had been precious to this world. She was quirky, lively, and hopeful, despite all the tragedies thrown at her. She would easily snap, but no one would have a bigger heart than her. She was a hero, of both the victims and the villains, and she would always hold a place of respect in everyone's hearts here. Especially since the impending war was drawing closer and closer. Everyone was practically hiding behind Sakura now and looking to her for directions.

So Allison immediately jumped away to track the runaway kid.

Sakura, on the other hand, had her mind buzzing with questions. The kid had stolen bombs from Lantern City. She called him a runaway because the kid was from the Lantern City himself. And yet he decided to steal their most precious treasure to get back at the city that imprisoned his ancestors unjustly about 50 years ago. His family had suffered poverty when their lands and riches were confiscated by a corrupt government, and the heads of their family were thrown into jail. They never quite recovered, and they continue to hunger everyday even as it was already their children's children time.

Sakura was sure that she would be able to understand the kid once he gave her time to talk to her. But he adamantly refused, setting off traps everywhere and putting a lot of people in danger so that their attention would be diverted.

Lantern City also refused to tell them what the stolen treasure was. Their only orders were to retrieve this amulet and scroll from the kid and directly return it back to the house of Lantern City's President. It annoyed Sakura to no end, because it would certainly help if she knew what it was so she could understand the kid better and know what his future actions would be.

"….the substances he was using were meant to be loud, but not destructive. I think the motive here is to set people in panic. That way, we would be distracted by calming the people down as he escapes." Calvin was reporting, telling her his discoveries and analysis of the remnants of the bombs.

Sakura nodded thoughtfully. This means the kid didn't want other people to get hurt. He only meant to utilize the treasure for something else. But this simple action told Sakura that the treasure then was not about revenge per se.

"Don't worry, I casted a strong wind circling the area to drown out the sound." Sakura said absently.

Calvin raised his brows. "Strong enough to drown out the sound of a bomb?"

Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Well, we might have been subtly inside a tornado earlier. I tried to put up an illusion so no one would notice."

Calvin shook his head in exasperation. "Woman! You need to figure out how to use this powers of yours. I'm sure there must have been a better way to handle that!"

"Well, as there's no shinobi here to tell me the extent of my powers, I have no idea how to redirect myself." Sakura retorted. "Enough chatter. Let's trace down Allison now. I can feel her energy getting farther away." Sakura raised her hand and a thick piece of cloud descended towards her from the sky. She climbed on it and it started to fly above the trees. Calvin simply waved his wand and a broom appeared, which he mounted, zooming away towards Sakura's side.

"Maybe what you should do next is to find the shinobi world." Calvin told her as he caught up. Sakura shook her head tiredly, as if she had thought about this constantly. "There's no time. The enemy had already gathered his troops. And that James is still stupidly trying to kill me." She said this with anger, but Calvin noted the hurt in her voice. He smiled sadly at her, knowing that when it comes to it, Sakura would let herself die on the hands of James than kill him. That goes for him as well. But they both knew that James wouldn't hesitate to kill them.

Sakura shook her head, as if pushing the thought away. "I can't waste time on finding my identity now. People need me." She sounded tired again. Calvin suppressed a sigh. He knew Sakura was pressured with all these Savior of the World, Last Bloodline shit. After all, if the legend was right, then Sakura had always been just the support before all this. And now, she was being pushed and pushed and pushed to be the hero. Maybe her inner spirit was battling it. And thus, the total exhaustion in her eyes.

Calvin extended a hand to pat her head, ruffling her hair in the process. Sakura threw a menacing glare at him. But the beginnings of a smile were starting to form on her lips. Calvin would do this to treat her like the child she was. Losing her memories, Sakura could not remember any experiences which would have built her foundation of being a matured adult. Everything was instinct to her now, like a child. And yet she tried so hard, because people depended on her and her strength. So Calvin made it a point to always treat her like the sweet innocent little girl she was.

A scream tore through the air. It was Allison's.

Sakura's cloud immediately zoomed away to the source of the sound, so fast that she looked like she just disappeared. Calvin followed as fast as he could as well, the wind pushing his body back hard.

He was just in time to witness Sakura rush into a ware house which was glowing in a suspicious orange light.

"SAKURA NO!" Calvin screamed after her.

Sakura didn't even look back. "Don't worry Cal! The kid doesn't intend to hurt anyone, remember?"

"SAKURA!" Calvin shouted in panic, jumping off his broom and running after her anyway.

 _That noble idiot!_ Calvin fumed as he ran. _Why does she have to believe that there's goodness in everybody? This suspiciously smells like a set up_

As he kicked the ware house doors open, a huge orange portal gleamed at the other side. Allison was sitting on the floor, clutching a bleeding shoulder, while Sakura sat beside her, hands glowing green as she tried to heal Allison's wound. The runaway kid was lying unconscious beside Allison.

"Calvin!" Sakura called him. "Check on the kid. Look if he's hurt anywhere."

Calvin rolled his eyes. The order should be make sure that their captive was secured to lessen the probability of escape. Then heal him or whatever. But trust Sakura to be concerned of his welfare first. _He's a criminal for God's sake._ Calvin thought in exasperation. But Calvin acquiesced regardless, following his compassionate leader obediently.

"Allison, does it feel better now?" Sakura asked Allison gently, rubbing the hurt arm softly. Allison nodded, exhaling in relief. But she turned a wary eye to the portal.

"It's a time travel portal." Allison exclaimed urgently. "The kid tried to set it back to 50 years-"

"Probably to save his family." Sakura said, in a soft sigh. Allison's eyebrows raised so high, it disappeared behind her short bangs.

"No." Allison said in a steely voice. "He wanted to blow up the city. He would escape with his family and blow up Lantern City. That's why he had many explosives. That's why he wasn't using the damaging ones and just the loud ones on us earlier because he was saving them for this blow up. He told me so earlier before we fought!"

"Stop trying to be a noble idiot for once Sakura. This kid is evil!" Allison finished in a high voice.

Sakura's shoulders slumped, her face draining of color. "Oh alright. Secure the kid Calvin. You know I can't help it Al!"

Allison just shook her head. "You know, you probably had a friend from your past life wgo used to do that, saving people from themselves. And you just unconsciously follow through."

Sakura just shrugged, still looking disappointed as she watched Calvin tie down the kid.

"Anyway," Allison pressed on, "He tried to set it back 50 years, but I managed to battle with him so I don't think it's completely finished. I think it's set back now to just 13-14 years instead."

Calvin pulled on the rope he tied the kid with, assuring its sturdiness. "Alright. Let's close it down then. We're almost done here."

Allison shook her head, her voice coming out fast. "We can't. The scroll said once it's activated, it won't close until someone steps through."

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes widening.

Allison nodded, looking helpless as she stared at the intimidating orange glow. Sakura snatched the scroll away from Allison's feet, her eyes carefully running through the content.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't realize what he was doing when he started drawing circle patterns on the floor and throwing the scroll in the middle of it. I thought it was just another bombing episode. I didn't stop him on time." Allison said, looking down.

Sakura exhaled loudly, running a hand through her long pink strands. "Well we can't leave it here. Someone else might step through. And time travelling back to the past is a dangerous tool that gives you control of everyone, because you know what's going to happen and they don't!"

"Okay okay, calm down. Think. Think." Sakura chanted as she walked back and forth in quick strides. Her face scrunched up in concentration. "What if…" She began. "What if we just throw an animal in there! It's still blood and living. And it wouldn't be able to control anything too!"

Allison rolled her eyes. "A human person activated it, a human person must cross through! Sakura sheesh."

"Don't Sakura sheesh me! You think of something then!" Sakura exploded in true hot tempered fashion, waving her arms wildly while her cheeks furiously flushing. Allison merely chuckled at her outburst, which infuriated Sakura even more.

Calvin watched the 2 start to argue, painfully remembering James' own outbursts against Sakura. They have to act now. Anyone could find them and take over the portal in any minute, especially if the kid's reinforcements started to flood in. Granted that Sakura was with them anyway so she could just knock down everyone. But this mission had quickly turned into covering the portal. Noone must pass through. And that's just a dangerous risk to take.

That leaves the idea that at least one of them must step through the portal then. It's just 13-14 years back after all. But then it's dangerous to go back into a past and accidentally change anything that might worsen things in the long run if they acted wrong. They could always just report to the President. But then they really couldn't leave the portal here too. They could always just leave someone to guard it. But the reinforcements were coming, and while the reinforcements would still not be able to overpower any of them, there was still a good chance that one might slip through. He stared between the scroll, Sakura, and the portal.

An idea started to form in his head, his heart pounding against the outrageousness of it all.

"Maybe-" He began, halting the growing argument between the two. "Maybe you should go through, Sakura."

Silence descended on the warehouse.

Calvin cleared his throat, not sure how to proceed. "I think it's an all in one solution. You need to know your past but you have no time here. This gives you more time. You go directly back in time after all. You also can't really affect change in your past since you don't remember anything anyway. You could blend in. And according to the legends, you had always blended in anyway so it would be perfect-"

"But the war-" Allison started. But Calvin quickly cut her off.

"Then Sakura can just come back here in the time she ended up here." He finished lamely.

Allison shook her head. "How will she know how to come back here?"

"I think by that time, she would have remembered then. Or you can always just set off to the sea. You got here once, you'll get here again. You're meant to be here anyway according to the prophecy." Calvin replied.

Allison gasped. "This is insane! We can't sacrifice Sakura now!"

Calvin turned an outrageous glare towards Allison, making Allison flinch at the intensity of it. "I AM NOT SACRIFICING SAKURA. And never would I do that." He turned to Sakura with a softer gaze. "You know I care for you with all my heart Sakura. But I think this is really reasonable. It's a chance for you too to discover your identity and remove all the barriers. But this is still your choice, if you don't want to, then we'll just find another way."

Allison kicked her feet as she stood, crossing her arms in defiance. But her eyes also held fear and worry for Sakura.

Sakura stared at Calvin as she thought about the new situation. Allison looked downright outraged, and even Calvin held uncertainty in his eyes. But Sakura knew that he only suggested this because there was just no more options left. She could sense the kid's reinforcements closing in. And in the end, one of them had to step through to close the portal for good. And if it was a matter of that, then she really was the best choice to do this. Ignorance of the past will give her no power, thus no advantage. And this was the principle they are fighting for right now. Plus, it gives her the chance to see what her own world was like.

So Sakura merely nodded. "I'll do it."

Allison and Calvin gasped. Allison turned to Calvin with a furious expression. "What are you gasping for? It was your stupid idea!"

Calvin raised his arms infront of him. "I know, but I didn't think she'd accept it. I only voiced it out loud because it was a real option."

Allison raised her hands wildly. "You know how much of a noble idiot she is. Of course she'll accept!"

"ENOUGH." Sakura's commander voice rang through. The both of them immediately silenced.

"I am doing this because this is the best option for all of us. I will not mess up because I'm totally ignorant like the rest of them. And I can finally learn how to really use my powers. I can be….a continuous asset for the coming war."

Calvin and Allison both started complaining in loud voices. "IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT!" Calvin wailed, tears forming in his eyes, angry at himself for even voicing out the suggestion now that Sakura was actually going to take it. "What if you get hurt or something?!"

"Yeah." Allison growled, her voice cracking. "What if you die along the way? What then?"

Sakura chuckled hesitantly. "Put more faith on me you dumbos. I am not going to die while I'm a kid! I'll see you all again and I'm going to kick your asses again the next time around. Hopefully James' too."

Allison and Calvin paused momentarily, looking at each other in deep thought. Then they started to laugh at the absurdity of it all. But then Allison gasped.

"THE KID, he's running for the portal!"

Sakura immediately put her hands together and the earth around them pulled back. Allison, Calvin and the kid all fell.

 _Ooops._ Sakura thought, amused. _Forgot to warn them._ She quickly kissed both Allison and Calvin on the cheeks and manipulated the air so she could fly straight to the portal.

"See ya when I see ya!" Sakura called back, glancing one last time to see Calvin in tears, Allison in a salute, and the kid screaming in white hot rage.

Then the bright orange light consumed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, in the world across the endless sea, a pair of shinobi were weirdly struggling with the same dilemma.

"Damn it! Sasuke! This stupid thing is airtight!" A man with striking blond hair and blue eyes wailed in a loud voice, his three whisker marking on his cheeks standing out as his cheeks flushed further. He was currently struggling with tight vines around his body that managed to completely engulf him, save for his head.

"Shut up, Naruto!" A man with deep black eyes and dark hair with a blue tint, who apparently was Sasuke, scowled as he tried to struggle away from the same thing.

"How did we ever got stuck in here Teme?! This sucks!" Naruto complained, still wiggling around. "We're supposed to be the two most powerful men right now and we got scammed in this stupid trick! WE CAN'T DIE HERE!"

Sasuke threw a dark menacing look at the man beneath him and Naruto. Said man was trapped in Kurama's tail wrapped around him, and a Susanoo arm clenching around him too. _Well at least we know that that abhorrence won't be going anywhere,_ Sasuke thought angrily.

"He sealed these veins so we cannot use our chakra or any of our techniques against it. We have to use pure physical force from our body to remove it." Sasuke told Naruto, who seemed to be on the verge of screaming again.

"BUT IT'S TOO TIGHT! I CAN'T EVEN MOVE!" And he did scream.

"Dobe shut up!" Sasuke hissed. "That man's reinforcements are coming. And we still need to shut down that damn portal."

Naruto immediately silenced as his eyes dropped frantically to the portal. "No no no no. We can't leave it open. That's a time travel portal!"

"Obviously. Are the vines around your brain too?" Sasuke said casually, as if Naruto's idiocy was a normal thing. Naruto fumed.

"Whatever Teme. But you know we need to close it down now. I can sense them coming too!"

Sasuke growled under his breath as he tried his best to break away. But without any space to create enough of a push, there was just nothing he could do.

"SLINGSHOT!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed. Sasuke groaned in exasperation.

"Naruto I told you to keep it down-"

"Teme, we could slingshot away!" Naruto said excitedly, eyeing the sturdy looking branch just beneath them. "I could try to bend over until I can bite that branch, then when I release, I would create enough push and pressure to slither away from these stupid fuckers."

Sasuke stared at his eternal rival with disbelief. "While that might work, that would plunge us straight to the portal."

"Which would close it down!" Naruto said with a big beaming smile.

"Which would also send us back 12-13 years back in time!" Sasuke retorted, his brows raising. As usual, his idiotic soon-to-be-hokage rival would suggest a stupid unexpected idea.

Naruto opened his mouth for another response, but visibly froze as the implication became clear to him.

"Dobe." Sasuke muttered, shaking his head.

Naruto glared at him. "Well do you have any other idea Teme? The scroll said that someone does have to step into the portal anyway to close it down."

"We wouldn't need to. We could just take down everyone, then one of us could guard and the other report to the hokage. I'm sure Kakashi would have something about this portal, or any information to close it down." Sasuke said easily.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Which we are not in the state to do because WE'RE BOTH TIED DOWN. The enemies are coming close Sasuke! I can sense them! If they step in there, who knows what they might change!"

Sasuke shook his head. "We shouldn't go back to the past Naruto. Everyone is already fine the way they are now. The perfect ending from the bloodiest war of all times too. If we go back, we might change it one way or another and it might just end up gruesome."

Naruto observed his rival and bestfriend. Sasuke really had changed already. He was matured enough to appreciate what was now and know the value of everything that happened in their past. And he was right too. Everything was perfect the way they are. He was about to propose to Hinata. He just about already secretly asked Hiashi for his daughter's hand in marriage, and already involved the whole Hyuga clan on his grand proposal. He was being groomed to be the Rokudaime Hokage. It was so obvious that he would be the next hokage that everything else seemed just a formality now. Of course, Naruto still respected that enough to follow through. Shikamaru was already Kakashi's right hand man as training for when he would serve Naruto.

But more than all the good things happening to him, Sasuke had also already settled down in the village for 4 years, still constantly going out of the village to perform difficult missions. But overall, he would always come home to Konoha. Strangely enough, he was still not following through to his next goal, which was to restore his clan. Naruto tried setting Sasuke up on different dates. But no one just seemed to click.

Konoha 11 were easily getting important positions in the shinobi circles too. They were a talented bunch so they were all paving successfully on their own paths.

The Allied Shinobi Forces was also holding up strongly as ever, making the peace ever protected.

The only dark bleak spot was Sakura. Sakura had been missing for 5 years now. And no one knew what happened to her. At least when Sasuke disappeared before, they knew it was because he was running after Itachi and all that. But with Sakura…

Sakura left the village just before Sasuke formally came back from his repentance travel. She left the village with the reason that since Sasuke and Naruto got to explore the world, she wanted a piece of it herself as well. She refused to be left behind anymore, and she felt that going away from the village was the perfect way to find herself, her true self without being just the glue that held team 7 together. So she left.

And she never came back.

Last spotting of her was at the edge of the endless sea. Someone said that she lent her a boat, so she must have tried to cross. And rumors has it that whoever tried to cross never returned.

Naruto shook his head to clear his throat. Now was not the time. But Naruto hadn't given up anyway, he continued to fruitlessly search for their teammate, the hopeful light in their team.

"Sasuke, it's either we cross the portal, or they do. If there's a potentiality of destroying the world as we know it, it's with them. They actually have evil plans ya know!"

Sasuke shook his head. "But-"

Naruto had enough. "We will try not to change anything. It will be a painful 12-13 years for the 2 of us, but that's better than handing it over to those morons. At least we can control our actions so they stay the same! They certainly won't!"

"OVER THERE!" One of the missing nins screamed, running over to their spot.

"Shit." Sasuke cursed. He threw a glance at Naruto and immediately started bending and reaching for the branch with his mouth. Naruto grinned, doing the same.

As soon as they are bent low enough, their mouths clamped hard to the branches, they glanced at each other, nodded then released.

Immediately, they flew off the stupid vines and were hurtling towards the bright orange portal.

"WHOOHOO! CHILDHOOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN!" Naruto screamed in elation as the light engulfed them.

"YOU MEAN PUBERTY!" Sasuke screamed amidst the buzzing.

Naruto yelped at the realization. "Oh shit."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

 **Hi! So Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke are officially back in time. I actually had to watch the beginning episodes of Naruto again to make the setting more authentic. Sakura's dialogues are probably the one that will be really out of place because she doesn't remember anything from the past. Anyway, thank you for reading!**

Chapter 2

 _Previously:_

" _See ya when I see ya!" Sakura called back, glancing one last time to see Calvin in tears, Allison in a salute, and the kid screaming in white hot rage._

 _Then the bright orange light consumed her._

 _In another world:_

 _Immediately, they flew off the stupid vines and were hurtling towards the bright orange portal._

" _WHOOHOO! CHILDHOOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN!" Naruto screamed in elation as the light engulfed them._

" _YOU MEAN PUBERTY!" Sasuke screamed amidst the buzzing._

 _Naruto yelped at the realization. "Oh shit."_

NOW:

"Naruto." Sasuke acknowledged the approaching figure as he sat at the top of the Hokage monument, his hands folded beneath his chin.

"Sasuke." Naruto greeted back, still wearing his black stocking cap and gray pajamas. "So we made it. We're really at the past."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, his spiky blond hair all over the place again, and his short figure looking incredibly lacking as compared to the man with the lean powerful figure who saved the world a few years ago. Sasuke smirked at him.

Naruto scowled. "Hey don't laugh at me! You have your duck hair back Teme!"

"Whatever. At least I'm not short with an ugly face." Sasuke said in a neutral voice.

Naruto threw a punch at him, which he easily evaded. "SHUT UP SASUKE TEME! We have to talk about important matters now! Stop trying to pick a fight!"

Sasuke glared at him. "You shut up dobe. It's 5 in the morning, people might wake up and see us together. At this time, we shouldn't be able to stand each other yet."

Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes. He sat beside him. "That's what I want to talk about Sasuke. Are we really going to not change anything?"

Sasuke tensed, his hands clenching into fists. "We talked about this Naruto. We absolutely cannot change anything. Our victory was extremely close. We cannot mess things up and let the future be rewritten in another way."

"It's not about that." Naruto said seriously. "It's about saving the people we lost before. You can't honestly say that we would allow them to die now because they were 'meant to die'. What are you going to tell me next, that fate already determined it? Who are you, Neji's younger self?"

Sasuke shook his head. "But it's too dangerous-"

"If it was Itachi," Naruto interrupted him, effectively shutting up the last Uchiha whose eyes widened. "Actually, _when_ it's Itachi's turn to die in this timeline comes, are you really just going to stand there and watch? For the sake of predetermined fate?"

Sasuke didn't respond, frozen in thought.

"That's why we can't just stand around being ignorant, because we're not. We know it's coming, so we're going to do something." Naruto said sensibly. "We can try to keep the flow of time and event as it is, but when a person is in danger, I refuse to let them be harmed."

Sasuke visibly swallowed, but he shook his head as if in resignation. "Fine. But we only act differently when we're trying to save someone. Apart from that, we try to keep things as it is. We do not mess with time Naruto, everyone knows it's a paradox to do so."

Naruto smiled sheepishly, still surprised that Sasuke would agree with him even after all these years of doing so. "I know. But we can't just let them die this time around. Imagine! Ero sennin! Neji! Even Itachi!"

Then Naruto's expression hardened. "Sakura." He said, almost in a whisper.

Sasuke nodded, trying not to look too excited at the prospect of saving his brother again, and steeling his expression into a blank. Naruto caught the slight twitch anyway and beamed widely at him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "What are you going to do about Sakura anyway? She didn't die. She disappeared."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke, knowing that regardless of Sasuke's emotionless tone when he talked about Sakura, he was also equally determined in their searches to get her back. She was, after all, the final piece to their lost Team 7, the only other person that Sasuke had allowed himself to care for in the past, the only other person who never gave up on Sasuke. That was why Naruto noted how unlike everyone else, Sasuke also firmly believed that Sakura was not dead, and was just somewhere, being lost.

"I'm going to stop her from going this time. If I have to tie her down and chain her, I totally will. She will never step out of Konoha without my eye on her!" Naruto said determinedly.

Sasuke just shook his head at him.

"Alright then. Plans. What date is it today? Where have we gone back to?"

Naruto remembered that before he went out of his old messy to hell room, he spotted his calendar that even had a picture of that old model back then- er, at this time- and it says…

"Today is the team announcements Sasuke! We're going to be team 7 again!" Naruto yelled excitedly, hopping up with his arms raised in a cheer.

Sasuke stuck a pinky finger to his ear. "Dobe."

Naruto punched Sasuke's shoulder. "Believe it Sasuke! We're going to see everyone during the fun times! No stress, no responsibilities!"

"That's true. Because a few months from now is already the Chuunin exams, and that's where all the hell begins. So yeah, enjoy your last childhood days." Sasuke said matter-of-factly.

Naruto groaned. "Damn it."

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Sakura's eyes opened and saw a bright pink ceiling above her.

She blinked a few times to try to dispel the annoying illusion, but it didn't go away.

 _Seriously, who gets pink ceilings! It's so painful in the eyes._ Sakura thought, getting up to rub a hand on her mildly aching head.

 _Damn it. Where am I? What the hell is going on?_

Sitting up, she saw a very large mirror on the other side of the wall, and a mannequin body, wearing some kind of traditional shirt with the words "Konoha's fighting Spirit" imprinted across it.

Beside her bed was several framed pictures of a cute little boy.

"Okay, so I'm in a little girl's room." She muttered to herself, picking up one of the frames.

"Good taste. But this one looks like devil incarnate, carrying the world's worst problems. Too emo."

She tossed the frame back and jumped off the bed. Looking around, she caught sight of her own reflection in the large mirror. She saw a young and seriously skinny girl, with long luscious pink hair (probably brushed for hours everyday), with wide frightened green eyes, and an abnormally large forehead.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Sakura screamed in surprise, the girl at the mirror mimicking her.

"Sakura! Shouldn't you be leaving now?" A woman's voice called from downstairs. "What's going on up there? Why are you screaming?"

Footsteps climbing the stairs were coming nearer. But Sakura was just frozen, staring at the _child_ in the mirror.

"Sakura, what in the world-" A woman suddenly opened the door of the room. The woman stood gaping at her, with fair-skin and shoulder-length, dirty blonde hair with a single bang which falls down into her face.

"WHY AREN'T YOU READY YET?! Aren't you going to be assigned to your teams today?" The woman screamed at her, pulling her arms, _her skinny skinny arms_ , towards the bathroom.

"Er…..teams?" She asked blankly, still feeling confused.

The woman turned to her and crossed her arms. "Are you having second thoughts now? You, my only daughter, finally graduated yesterday to pursue your dream to be a shinobi. Now you're having second thoughts on being assigned to a team?"

 _Dream to be a shinobi….Dream to be a shinobi…shinobi….shinobi._ These words kept resounding in Sakura's head. Then suddenly, it all came back to her. The time travel portal. 12-13 years back in time. Saying goodbye to Calvin and Allison. Being engulfed in the portal.

"OH MY GOD! I'm back in time and I'm in the shinobi world!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed. Her hands came up to her face in shock.

"What?" The woman asked, looking worried this time. "Sakura are you feeling okay?" The woman said those words much softer now. She put a hand on Sakura's forehead.

"And you're my mom!" Sakura exclaimed again, looking positively elated.

"Sakura-"

Sakura threw herself at her mom and began to wrap the woman in a very tight embrace.

"Sakura, what's wrong? You don't have to attend today if you don't want to." Her mother said gently, all anger leaking out of her voice as she started rubbing comforting circles on her daughter's back.

"N-No, it's fine mom. I….I'll attend the…er…the team assignments." Sakura told her mom emotionally. "Will you be home when I get back?"

Her mother nodded worriedly, breaking the embrace to look at her daughter's face closely. "Of course. I'll be here for dinner."

Sakura beamed at her, her eyes starting to tear up.

When she woke up in the city of the West, she had always been alone. Of course, she made a lot of friends here and there, but there was nothing like an empty apartment to go home to, to realize that you really were truly alone. She longed to know if she had parents still, as she sat alone in the shadows of the trees to watch families lounge in the park on Sundays. She wondered if there was ever a person who would love her unconditionally, like that of a parent's.

And now, that person was standing right before her, observing her with wide worried eyes.

She consciously made the effort to not start sobbing. "I-I'm fine m-mom. Don't worry about me. I'll make it just in time." She winked at her mother, then in a flash, she disappeared.

The next thing her mother knew was that the faucet at Sakura's shower turned on and the bath's door firmly closed.

 _That was…..strange. I wonder if Sakura is okay. She's probably nervous about today._ Her mother, Mebuki Haruno, decided. She expected Sakura to retort something like ""I was about to go!" with a low muttering of " Stop treating me like a child!"

Sakura, after all, was going through her teenage years where she felt like she needed to defend her independence, even though they were all just 12 years olds. But today, Sakura seemed really affectionate of her. She felt the tight desperate hug that Sakura imparted earlier.

Mebuki heard Sakura started singing off key in the shower. So she decided that her daughter was okay and was probably just getting all nervous. She shrugged and went downstairs to heat up Sakura's breakfast.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura was walking on the streets aimlessly, wondering where the hell she was supposed to go.

 _Today is supposed to be my team assignment. Yesterday, I had my graduation to be a shinobi. Hmmmm. I guess I really am a shinobi after all._ Sakura thought smugly, glad that at least one part she was sure of about herself held true.

 _I guess it works the same here. We work within fixed teams. And it's probably going to get adjusted here and there in the future. But for now, I'm going to have a team!_

She put a finger thoughtfully against her lips. _I wonder what kind of person am I in this world._ She wondered to herself curiously.

Before she left, she made the effort to check her room. She found the picture of that same boy in the frame in the cabinets, under her bed, and even in the bath.

 _Who in the world is that boy? Boyfriend? Nahhhh I'm too obsessed. The longing is clearly manifested there. Must be a crush. God I have an emo crush. I wonder if he's worth it in person._

It was weird that her younger self was so engrossed in a guy. Back in the West, she had never even thought about any romantic interest. Granted that she also did have a lot of fan boys and she was surrounded by gorgeous men (her own teammates, Calvin and James, were the nationwide heartthrobs), she never thought about having a love life ever. There were so many much more important things going on in her life.

And then she found loads of skin and hair beauty products.

 _So I would be really vain. Man, I suck. First, I'm some kind of fangirl. Then I'm super vain._

She didn't use any of those products today. She just let her hair down like always. She also had this inappropriate dress. She remembered her conversation with her mother and father during breakfast.

" _Is this for real? How can I possibly fight wearing this….this I don't know what this is. Is this a Barbie dress?" She complained, tapping the ridiculous get up._

" _But Sakura, you said you look very pretty in that dress." Her dad told her with humor in his eyes._

 _Her mother snorted. "You said Sasuke will definitely notice you wearing that."_

 _Ahhhh Sasuke. So that was his name. Well to hell with him, I'd rather not die than die pretty in this dress, Sakura thought, annoyed._

Sakura sighed. So she was shallow and obsessed. And she was supposed to be a shinobi now. She wondered how she didn't die in the battlefield sooner if her character was like this before. 

And apparently, she was also a brat to her parents. She noticed the mild surprise on her mother when she hugged her earlier. And of course the obvious surprise in her dad's eyes when she bounded straight to his lap as she saw him at their breakfast table. But then she really shouldn't blame herself. She was a teenager right now and these things really happen to any normal young girl going through puberty.

At least she got to be normal here. She was always "special" back in the West. She guessed that it really was true that she would just be a supporting character here. She wondered who she would be supporting.

A young girl, probably her age with fair skin, blue eyes and long platinum blonde hair worn in a ponytail came out of a flower shop. She waved goodbye to her parents then stopped dead when she saw her.

"Good morning Sakura." The girl said with a challenging smirk.

 _Uh oh. Who is this? Her smile is challenging me. Is this some kind of enemy? But then, she knows me. And she had the same headband I needed for that team assignment._ Sakura thought warily. She almost left that headband at home too, but her mother rushed out to give it to her, claiming that she needed it.

Sakura decided to stick with the girl. Perhaps they were heading the same direction.

"Good morning." Sakura said with a small smile, her face carefully neutral.

The girl raised an eyebrow at her simple response. "I can't believe you graduated." She started, smirking at her.

 _Ahhhh. This is some kind of rivalry. She's taunting me but there's no real malice in her eyes. She's already suspicious that I didn't respond so much earlier. Damn it, my character is seriously a hassle. Now I have to pretend to fight little girls._

She racked her brain for a comeback. But she just didn't know enough about this person to know exactly the kind of insult to throw at her without really offending her. After all, this really did seem like just a friendly rivalry.

 _Pig._ A memory voiced itself in her head. A memory. A MEMORY.

Sakura crossed her arms. "Whatever, Pig."

The girl looked positively outraged, but her eyes seemed to say that she did expect this. And that it was usual and normal.

 _Pig huh? This girl must have issues about her size and weight. Though I don't see anything wrong. She's almost as skinny as me._ Sakura thought, quickly looking at the girl's figure.

"You will regret that Forehead! I will win this time!" She said angrily, then she started running off.

 _Ahhhhh then my insecurity at this time is my forehead. What…..oh it's a race! Damn it I have to catch up! If I lose her, I'll never get to the academy!_ Sakura thought with a sigh as she started chasing the girl. But she smiled to herself as she realized that her brain remembered something from her past. Things were starting to look up.

Of course she could easily outrun the blonde girl, but then she wouldn't know where to go. So she kept up with only an inch behind the girl, pretending to take the race seriously with a few fake huffing as she ran.

Soon, the academy building came into view. And the blondie was just running to slow for her liking, especially since she was already tingling with excitement.

 _I'm going to see my classmates!_ She squealed in her brain. She already got herself a rival. Although this rival seemed too shallow for her liking. But at least there was a rival. The other people in her class should be interesting too.

So she sped ahead, ignoring the gasp from her rival as she zoomed past, and finally she kicked the doors of the building open.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sat on his desk with a big goofy smile on his face. Beside him, Sasuke was trying to fight the urge to smirk.

 **Hello? Hellooooo. Sasukeeeeee. Can you hear me?** Naruto called out in his mind.

Sasuke blinked in surprise. **Dobe, is that you? How are you speaking in my head?**

Naruto's smile stretched wider. **Just a technique I've been working on. It's the same way that Kurama speaks to me. Except I'm making the connection with you.**

Sasuke nodded in appreciation. **Well this could be useful. Can I speak back to you when I want to even without you making the connection to me?**

 **Well yeah. I already established the connection so you can bug me anytime. But don't actually do it all the time! I might be busy with Hinata chan at some point.** Naruto thought back to him with a dreamy smile.

Sasuke kicked him under the table. **Hinata is 12 here Dobe. Don't be inappropriate.**

Naruto sighed. **Yeah yeah. I know. This sucks by the way. I have to pretend to be all stupid at this time.**

Sasuke looked like he was trying not to smirk again. **It comes naturally to you Dobe. It shouldn't be hard.**

 **TEME!**

Lost in their conversation, Naruto merely noticed Shikamaru step beside him in his usual slouch. "Why are you here today? Today's explanatory meeting is only for those who graduated." He told Naruto lazily.

Naruto turned to him with a wide smile.

 **Look Sasuke! Shika is still super lazy at this time!**

 **He's still secretly lazy at our time. Focus Naruto! He's talking to you!**

Naruto cleared his throat and tapped his forehead protector. "Hey can you not see the forehead protector! Starting today, I'm also a ninja!"

He put two fingers beneath his chin. "How should I say this, this looks really good on me!"

Sasuke started to make a gagging sound. From the corner of Naruto's eyes, he saw Hinata at the other side of the room stare at him from afar with a happy smile on her face. Naruto beamed at her. Sasuke nudged Naruto and raised an eyebrow at him. Sighing, Naruto turned away.

Meanwhile, the door suddenly flung open.

Sakura stood there with a giddy expression on her face, fists raised in elation.

 _Yay! My classmates!_ She thought happily, surveying the different people inside the room who were now staring at her weirdly. Having no memories, in Sakura's mind, she never had a childhood. Being at school now and experiencing these childhood dilemmas were actually quite funny and refreshing to her. She just wished she was cooler.

She sensed the blond girl closing in behind her. Sakura immediately stepped aside as she sensed blondie try to knock her aside. Blondie stumbled face first to the floor.

"Ow! Er….GOAL! Ha! I win again Sakura!" Blondie said triumphantly. Then her eyes narrowed. "How did you step aside so fast? I barreled into you!"

 _Seriously? That wasn't even fast! So now I'm a fangirl, vain, and unfit? How did I graduate?_ Sakura thought in surprise.

But she cleared her throat and put her hands on her hips.

"My toe entered before yours!" She said condescendingly, her nose up in the air.

"Are you blind?" Ino growled, effectively forgetting her first question. Sakura just smiled and shook her head.

 **Naruto, Sakura just entered the room.** Sasuke told Naruto in their thoughts.

Naruto gasped and immediately scanned the room. Spotting Sakura, he smiled his biggest smile, drinking her presence in.

 _Sakura's really here! She's not gone! She's here, with all her hot tempers and loud bickerings! And even her strong punches!_ Naruto thought to himself, feeling himself tearing up.But then Naruto groaned inwardly. **Oh man! I have to pretend to be inlove with her! I hope Hinata chan won't be too upset.**

With a sigh, Naruto turned to Sakura and schooled his face into shining eyes and lovestruck expression.

 _Just think about Hinata. Think about Hinata. Hinata. Hinata. Her clear white eyes, her dark blue hair which is super short and cute right now….._ Naruto chanted in his head as he gazed at Sakura, looking effectively dazzled.

Sakura felt the intense gaze of someone on her. And near the front of the room was a spiky blond haired boy with shining blue eyes.

 _Finally! Someone else who knows me. My teenage battle with this blond girl is starting to drive me insane!_ Sakura thought to herself. The boy was looking at her weirdly though. But nevertheless, she flashed a bright smile and skipped towards the boy.

"Hey Sakura!" The blond girl called after her.

Blonde no. 2 beamed at her as if she was a princess. "Good morning Sakura chan!"

 _Uhhhhh_ Sakura muttered in her head. _So I have a fanboy here. But his eyes seem a bit unfocused. As if he's not really looking at me. Weird._

Sakura raised her hand to wave hello when the blonde boy suddenly catapulted forward and landed flat on the floor.

"Ow. Sakura chan!" The boy complained. Sakura blinked in confusion.

"Er…..are you okay?" She asked uncertainly, holding a hand out. The boy paused, clutching his head and staring at Sakura's hand.

"Because you hit me Sakura chan!" He said in a wail, recovering quickly from the surprise.

Sakura shook her head slowly. "No I didn't. Maybe that boy did." Sakura indicated to the raven haired gloomy boy sitting beside the blond.

"I…..er….no. It's just that you always hit me so I thought you would hit me again so I slipped on the floor and…." The blond boy started mumbling, confusion and surprise etched on his face again.

But Sakura's gaze was fixed on the gloomy boy.

 _I know this guy. I've seemed him somewhere before._ Spiky duck like raven hair, deep black eyes, flawless pale face and a perfect nose and lips. Like a perfect childhood fantasy.

"Oh! Sasuke kun!" She exclaimed. Right, she had so many pictures of this guy. To be fair, this guy is actually really good looking. But right now, he was a cute little boy to her. She smiled, knowing how her younger self would totally gush over him right now, and forgiving her younger self because this guy was totally eye candy. Still, too emo.

The blonde girl ran towards her and tried to knock her sideways again. Of course, Sakura instinctively stepped aside again, which made blondie stumble.

But without missing a beat, blondie shouted at her. "Hey I'm going to sit next to him! I came to the classroom before you."

Then other girls started to surround them.

"If that's your reason, then I should sit next to him! I came in first!"

"NO! I'll sit next to him!"

"NO I WILL!"

 _Uh oh. What the hell. ALL OF THESE FANGIRLS…er including me….graduated? We're so shallow and annoying._ Sakura thought in shock, watching the swarming girls start to fight. _What are the standards of shinobi anyway. Maybe this first level is supposed to be really weak._

But Sakura knew that she had to keep up appearances. So at the top of her voice, she screamed.

"NO! I ASKED SASUKE KUN FIRST!" The other girls started to raise their voices as well. With a nod of satisfaction, Sakura moved away from the crazy mob.

On the other hand, Naruto was still sitting on the floor.

 **Ehhh Teme. You know what supposedly happened next right?** He asked Sasuke with a frown.

Sasuke's eye twitched. **Not happening Dobe. That has absolutely no significance to the flow of events.**

Naruto nodded determinedly. **Thank Kami.** He flinched, remembering how Sasuke and him lost their first kiss. Then he turned his attention to Sakura who was already moving back from the girls' fight. **Something is a little off with Sakura eh?**

Sasuke threw a glance at her. **Who knows? Maybe we already affected some things. But she's still a fangirl though.**

 **Is she? She's not fighting with them anymore.**

 **But she started the fight regardless.**

Naruto shrugged and climbed to his feet.

Sakura already found a seat just behind Sasuke and Naruto's desk.

"Hey. Er….." _Damn it. What's his name?_ Sakura wondered, as she stared at the blonde boy. She raised her hands and waved. Naruto looked up after he climbed to his feet and saw her.

"Sakura chan….?" Naruto said in a small voice, his eyes wide.

 _Oh man. I must have been mean to him. Earlier, he thought I would hit him so he purposely slid down his seat. Now he looks bewildered that I'm waving at him? So a fangirl, vain, weak, and a bully? I totally suck._ Sakura thought indignantly.

Sakura sighed. She didn't have any specific goal when she decided to step through the time travel portal. She just wanted to see her past and learn everything she can about her powers. She didn't know if she needed to change anything or what not. The safest route was to blend in. But now, she decided that she wanted to create her own character. Maybe she didn't need to stand out. After all, she was still the support for whoever the heroes would be here. But she refused to suck this bad.

So she smiled kindly at the blond boy and gestured for him to come to her.

The blond boy approached her slowly, confusion etched on his face.

"I found us a seat, see? I don't think the seat beside Sasuke kun would be open for us anyway. You want to sit beside me?" She said, nudging her head to the vacant seat that the girls were positively murdering each other over.

"I….uhmmm…..okay. Yeah, that's…..ahhh…nice. Sakura chan." The blonde boy hesitantly sat beside her, at her right. "You….aren't gonna fight for that seat?"

Sakura shrugged. "Nahhh. Too hassle." She picked the tips of her hair and started curling it around her finger. Naruto watched the action in bemusement. But a slow grin started to spread on his face.

"That's great Sakura chan! We could snuggle here." He started to come closer. Sakura pushed a fist to his forehead to stop his progress.

" . .Snuggle!" She hissed between her teeth, throwing a stink eye at him. "Or I will punch you to 7th hell!"

Blond boy started to laugh hard, while Sakura huffed in annoyance.

Suddenly, the chair beside Sakura's left was pulled back.

Sasuke dropped himself at that seat and pointedly turned away.

"Oy! Sasuke teme! What are you doing interrupting Sakura chan's love time with me!"

Naruto found himself nursing a bruise on his cheek a while later.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at them. "Shut up Naruto. It was staring to get noisy there. It was….annoying."

He threw a look at Sakura. Sakura raised her brows.

 _Meehhh. Who cares. I was bound to be annoying, I'm his fangirl after all. Better keep up the act._

"Ha! I won you suckers!" She loudly claimed towards the still fighting girls. The girls stopped abruptly, seemingly not noticing that Sasuke already left the desk. With a gasp, they all turned to see Sasuke seated beside Sakura and Naruto.

The girls started to cry.

"Nooooooo Sasuke kuuuun! Why would you sit beside forehead!"

"Our beloved Sasukeeeeeeee!"

"Nooooo! Not abnormal pink haiiiiir"

A nerve ticked at Sakura's temple. _Sheeeesh. There's not much glory sitting beside him anyway. He's all stoney. No fun convos at all._

Ignoring the funeral the girls were acting out, Sakura decided to turn to Naruto. _So Naruto's his name. Sasuke called him Naruto after all._

"So Naruto! Who do you want to be in your team?"

Naruto looked at her, seemingly deep in thought. "Well…I want Sakura chan to be in my team! Then whoever can do, as long as it's not Sasuke Teme!"

 _Oh so it's group of threes._ Sakura thought. But her eyebrows pulled together at Naruto's response.

"You want ME to be in your team? I honestly don't think I'll be much help at all. Look at these skinny arms!"

Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who responded, fixing her with an appraising gaze. "You are the top kunoichi of the class. Noone can top you on tests. Your brains will be valuable in a team."

 _Oh brains. Oh well at least I'm good for something here. Better start reading stuff to keep up with that._

Throwing a giddy look at Sasuke, she threw her arms around him and squealed. "Does that mean you want me to be in your team, Sa-su-ke-kun!"

The other girls in class screamed in uproar.

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"Starting today, you are all official ninjas but you are all still new genins. It's going to get harder from here. You all will be in a group of three, where you will accomplish missions under a jounin teacher." Iruka sensei, their teacher apparently, told them.

"A group of 3?" The class echoed.

 _Sheeesh what's wrong with them. It's like they don't know. Anyone would look into it. What happens after graduation and those kinds of stuff._ Sakura thought to herself, looking around at the nervous expressions on everyone's faces.

"I wonder who's going to be in Sasuke-kun's team?" The blonde girl, who Sakura discovered was named Ino, said.

"Pig are you serious? We're going to be on life or death kind of missions and your focus is 'who's gonna be on Sasuke's team?'" She said in a disapproving voice.

Ino flushed. "Shut up Forehead! It's not just that! Sasuke graduated with the top skills in class! Besides, it's not like you don't want to be in his team too"

 _Ahhhhhh. Man Sasuke is really like the perfect guy here. But man he has issues._

"We've arranged the groups such that overall abilities are equivalent. I will now announce them." Iruka continued, ignoring the class' differing reactions.

Iruka started listing off teams with names that Sakura really didn't know.

Eventually, he came to her team.

"Next! 7th group" Iruka announced. "Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto looked up excitedly. "Haruno Sakura!"

Naruto immediately jumped off his seat. "YES!"

"Oh look at that Naruto, we're together in a team!" Sakura said with a smile, leaning her chin on her hands.

Naruto gave her the good guy pose, although a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"And Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto suddenly slumped on his chair. "I'm with Sasuke." He murmured in agony.

After a beat, Sakura remembered that she was supposed to be overjoyed. "YES! I'm with Sasuke kun! The path to true love wins!" She shouted, jumping up and cheering.

Sasuke didn't react, his hands still folded infront of him. But there was a slight frown to his lips.

Sakura grinned. _One of these days I'm going to get this cold boy break._ But then she sighed and sat down, deep in thought. _Wow my younger self must have felt so lucky. I mean what are the chances to be grouped together with her crush. But then that's probably why I'm stuck being the support. I must have not been able to focus much._

On the other side of the room, Hinata looked crestfallen.

 **Waaaaahhhhhhhh Teme look! Hinata chan looks so sad. Can't I go comfort her? Just once please!** Naruto thought to Sasuke in a cry.

Sasuke shook his head firmly. **Stop it Dobe. And stop trying to look at her! You're oblivious to her now and you can't like her yet!**

Naruto scowled. **I don't see why I can't! You comforted Sakura earlier when she was feeling down!**

Sasuke frowned at him. **Sakura is acting a little strange. She looks lost actually.**

Naruto tilted his head in thought. **Well she does seem nicer to me. And she's louder than usual at this time.**

Sasuke nodded quickly. **It's hard to explain. We'll just have to keep an eye on her.**

Naruto shrugged. **It's nice to have Sakura back honestly. Even though she's still a massive fangirl at this point!**

Sasuke's eye twitched. **Shut up Dobe. You're not the one who has to bear it.**

 **Try not to kill her this time.** Naruto said, warning clear in his eyes.

Sasuke visibly scowled. **Sakura is the last person I ever wanted to harm. She had nothing to do with anything.**

Naruto just shook his head in exasperation. **That's a compliment and an insult at the same time Sasuke. Seriously, you're such a teme.**

What the boys didn't notice was that Sakura was actually observing the both of them.

 _It's so weird. It's like they're talking to each other without speaking. Sure they're not actually looking at each other but one reacts after the other._ Sakura scratched her head and just shrugged it off. _And once again, I'm in a team of weirdos._

"Next! 8th group" Iruka continued on.

"Hyuga Hinata!"

Hinata perked up. "Y-Yes."

"Inuzuka Kiba!"

Kiba smirked dangerously.

"And Aburame Shino!"

Shino adjusted his glasses.

 **And there she goes.** Naruto sighed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. **What is wrong with you? Why are you acting so lovestruck all of a sudden anyway.**

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. **I don't know. Maybe it's because I was about to propose so I'm really really engrossed on everything about her as of the moment.**

Sasuke was about to retort back in thought when he noticed Sakura's eyes on him.

He raised his eyebrows at her. She threw a questioning look at him, then at Naruto.

 _Shit. Did she figure it out? Was Sakura this observant back then?_ Sasuke thought to himself, keeping his expression blank and mildly annoyed. 

"Why do you get to be with him?!" Ino mumbled under her breath angrily, her fierce gaze on Sakura.

Sakura threw her a look, then probably deciding to just ignore her, turned away.

Ino's mouth fell open. _How in the world did she hear that? I whispered it so low!_

"Why do girls like such a guy anyway?" Shikamaru suddenly spoke up beside her.

"Don't you even know that Shikamaru?" Ino replied haughtily

Shikamaru shrugged. "I'm not a girl."

Ino sighed. "That's why you're not popular. I wouldn't want to team up with a guy like you."

"10th group!" Iruka continued on. "Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru."

Shikamaru smirked. "Looks like you have to team up with me."

"And Akimichi Chouji."

Chouji at the front continued on eating chips.

Ino put her hands on her head, looking defeated.

Sakura turned to her. "Don't feel too bad Ino. You're teamed up with a potential genius and a big force." She said encouragingly.

Ino scowled. "How would you know that? And why would you care? You got Sasuke on your team!"

Sakura pouted. _Man this girl is always about Sasuke. I wonder if I was the same._ "I don't know. Shikamaru might look lazy but he's too observant and he asks on point questions." It was true too. Shikamaru had been fixing her a gaze whenever she tried to do things out of her character. It told her that she might be pulling it off wrong. But the point was, he was probably aware of it. What was more, he also alternated a gaze between Sasuke and Naruto. He probably also noticed their weirdness. "And Chouji looked strong."

"He eats all the time!" Ino complained, her hands up in frustration.

Sakura shook her head. "Which means more energy to spare."

Ino looked at her oddly, but nodded, still looking uncertain.

Sakura shrugged and turned back. _Oh well. So much for trying to be a good friend._

Iruka folded his papers. "That's it for the groups."

"Iruka sensei! Naruto piped up. "Why is a top student like me in a group with this guy!" He pointed rudely at Sasuke, who threw him a menacing glare.

 _Uh oh._ Sakura thought, glancing nervously at the two boys on either side of her.

Iruka sighed. "Sasuke graduated with the highest scores! And you Naruto, had the worst scores. This happens because we want to evenly divide abilities between the groups"

The whole class erupted in laughter. Sakura looked around, glaring at all the people laughing.

 _What is wrong with them? As if they're any better! Half of them are fangirls and half of them are bullies!_

"Don't pull my leg block head." Sasuke said in nonchalantly.

Naruto growled, his fists trembling in anger. "What did you say?!"

"Tsk." Sasuke dismissed. "You want to fight blockhead?"

The class laughed harder.

"Blockhead? Why you?" Then Naruto tried to launch himself at Sasuke. But Sakura grabbed hold of his collar and calmly put him back in his seat, holding his arms firmly.

"You guys stop it." Sakura hissed at both of them.

 _Seriously? SERIOUSLY? I'm supposed to be the one who will calm these 2 down? I'm supposed to be the Calvin in this team? Holy shit!_ Sakura shook her head in disbelief. Then she raised her voice.

"AND SHUT UP PEOPLE! I don't know what's funny with someone being called block head. How would you like it if it's you?" She pointed at a random classmate. "Snot nose." She pointed at another. "Bulging eyes." She pointed at another. "And what are you, a grandma?"

The so pointed classmates stood up in rage.

Iruka stepped forward with his hands raised. "Alright stop it! That's not how shinobi should act! Sit down and pay attention." Then he eyed Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. "And no more picking fights."

Naruto and Sakura both crossed their arms. Sasuke just turned away and ignored everyone again.

 **That was some show Teme. But I didn't expect Sakura to join in.** Naruto told Sasuke in thought. Sasuke just casted a glance at the fuming Sakura, then turned away again.

Iruka sighed. "I'm going to introduce the jounin teachers this afternoon! Meeting adjourned until then!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura started to wander aimlessly on the streets, not sure where to go next. She was going to go shopping after the jounin meeting, just so she could find a more appropriate attire for herself.

 _God, ninja in a dress. Am I trying to win a best dressed attire during battle?_

Then she thought about her new team.

Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. _Hmmmm I better research some things on these two. I wonder where they keep personal records in this place._ She looked around, acting inconspicuous. Since they're trying to register themselves as village protectors, they were bound to have complete profiles about themselves.

Sakura bit her lip, thinking deeply. _It seems like Sasuke and Naruto are like me and James. There's Naruto, striving to be the best while Sasuke continues to undermine him. Rivals. But weirdly, Naruto, despite being the last, got the top student as his rival. Some people are lucky._

Sakura sighed, thinking of how Ino was supposed to be her rival. Sakura wondered if Sasuke and Naruto were the people she would be supporting, the eventual heroes of this world. It was funny to think about, remembering the emo and the idiotic boy. But then they were all kids right now. Even she, the supposed hero of the West started off here as a silly fangirl after all.

Meanwhile,

 **Oy Teme! Why can't we talk like normal people? Why do we have to talk inside our heads now? I understand earlier in class but-**

 **Shut up Dobe. We supposedly just had a fight in class. Noone should see us talking in person now.**

Sasuke sighed. His eventual Hokage was really just dense sometimes. **So listen up Naruto. Transform into me and go bug Sakura.**

 **What?! Why would I do that?!** Naruto complained.

 **You remember before? You turned into me and asked Sakura what she thought of you!** Sasuke said matter of factly.

Naruto snorted. **Oh yeah I remember. But why do I need to do that now. I know what she thinks of me at this point.**

 **It's an important turning point for her. She will call you annoying. But then later on, I would do the same to her. After that, she would always make a conscious effort to be nice to you.** Sasuke told him.

Naruto sighed. **It's so hassle that we need to keep up all of these things just to keep the progress of the time flow.**

 **Look, do you want Sakura's respect to you grow or not? We need team 7 Naruto.**

 _Uuuuuuugggghhh._ Naruto thought just to himself this time. He adored Sakura like a sister. But at this point in time, she was still a vicious fangirl so it was hard to deal with her. Granted that she was actually acting weirdly, even to the point of defending him earlier…

Speaking of, there she was now. Just walking around. And not calling out for Sasuke.

 _Something is really off with her._

Naruto came up to her and waved happily. "Sakura chan! Let's eat together since we're in the same group!"

Sakura turned to him and smiled in greeting. "Oh okay sure." She casually grabbed Naruto's arm and gestured around. "You choose where to eat. I'm not sure what I'm feeling up for."

Naruto was speechless. Sakura wasn't supposed to accept his invitation. She should have called him annoying. Then he would transform into Sasuke and ask her what she thought of Naruto. Then she would still say annoying. Then the real Sasuke would appear and call her annoying. That was supposed to be the start of Sakura trying to understand Naruto.

But now that she accepted his invitation…

Naruto cleared his throat. "So Sakura chan! This is our first date right?"

Naruto found himself nursing another bruise on the other cheek as they ate at Ichiraku's ramen.

"Sakura chan….I'm really happy that you ate with me. But why? It's not that that I don't like it but-"

"Because as you said, we're a team now Naruto. We're a team who would have dangerous missions together. We should have each other's back from now on." Sakura said with a kind smile.

Naruto shook his head. _Now what. Well the plan must go on._

"Ehhhhh Sakura chan! I need to go! I'm feeling a little strange in my stomach-"

"OH MY KAMI NARUTO! DON'T DECLARE SUCH STUFF! I'M EATING! JUST GO!" Sakura screamed at him.

Naruto fled, grinning from ear to ear. Sakura had not changed so much after all. It was still the same hot headed Sakura.

Sakura, feeling weirded out, continued eating. She was grateful that Naruto asked her to eat with her. She didn't know any place around so she wasn't sure where to go. And this ramen was actually really good too. From the interaction between the owner and Naruto, it seemed like Naruto was a regular here.

After some time, Naruto came back. But he was transformed into Sasuke for some reason. Sakura knew this because she could sense Naruto's chakra signal anyway. So she wondered what in the world was he doing transformed into Sasuke.

Naruto/Sasuke sat beside her. 

"You have a charming wide forehead. It makes me want to kiss it."

 _That….was offending._ Sakura thought, a little outraged. But she decided that her younger self might have liked it. It seemed that her younger self was insecure about her forehead. But she was still confused. Why is Naruto complimenting her through Sasuke.

"Not!" Naruto/Sasuke suddenly blurted out. "Only Naruto would say something like that." He paused. "I wanted to ask you something. What do you think of Naruto?"

 _Ahhhhhhh. I get it now. He wants to know what I think of him. Awwww this adorable idiot is so cute! I wish I have a brother like him! It's sad that he has to use Sasuke though just to ask me._

Sakura beamed at him. "He is super adorable and passionate! I believe he is going to be great someday because of his determination. I hope he never gives up and won't lose hope to those people who thinks they're above him." She answered honestly, noting the surprised look in his eyes.

 _Ooops. That's right. I'm supposed to be one of his bullies. But I really just can't bring myself to act that out. I said I would change some stuff about me anyway. This could be one of them._

"Wha- er….okay. That's great. That's….really great." Naruto/Sasuke stammered. Weird, he didn't look like he appreciated it so much. Sakura shrugged and stood up, paying for her meal and Naruto's. The brat wasn't about to transform back to himself any time soon anyway. And she didn't feel like calling him out.

Naruto/Sasuke suddenly stepped out of the shop. "Ahhh okay. See ya! Thanks Sakura chan!" Then he bolted away.

Sakura giggled. Hearing Naruto's words on stony Sasuke's lips was so weird.

After walking around for a while again, the real Sasuke suddenly stepped next to her.

"Where's Naruto?" He said in a clipped tone.

Sakura eyed him for a moment, wondering if he was in on it. But in the end, she decided that it didn't matter, so she just shrugged.

She glanced up to the skies and realized that the sun was no longer high up, so it must be past noon. Turning away, she headed straight to the academy to meet their new teacher.

Sasuke just watched her walk away, suspicion in his eyes.

 **Hey Dobe. What happened? She didn't look that eager to see me. Didn't she try to kiss you when you were me?**

 **Don't ask me. She accepted my invitation to eat out. And she said that she thinks I will be great in the future.** Naruto thought back, still in disbelief.

 **Is that so?** Sasuke mulled over. **This is really strange. We have to look into it Naruto. Something is going on with Sakura.**

Naruto just shrugged him off. **Look on the bright side Teme. We don't have to drill her into working with me now. It seems like she likes me enough anyway.**

Sasuke just waved an air of agreement, but his eyes were still on Sakura's leaving form.

 _I will figure it out Sakura. Just wait._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Author's Note:

 **Bold letters: Sasuke and Naruto's mind communication**

 _Italic letters: Inner Thoughts_

Normal letters: Story

 _Previously:_

 _Sasuke just watched her walk away, suspicion in his eyes._

 _ **Hey Dobe. What happened? She didn't look that eager to see me. Didn't she try to kiss you when you were me?**_

 _ **Don't ask me. She accepted my invitation to eat out. And she said that she thinks I will be great in the future. Naruto thought back, still in disbelief.**_

 _ **Is that so?**_ _Sasuke mulled over._ _ **This is really strange. We have to look into it Naruto. Something is going on with Sakura.**_

 _Naruto just shrugged him off._ _ **Look on the bright side Teme. We don't have to drill her into working with me now. It seems like she likes me enough anyway.**_

 _Sasuke just waved an air of agreement, but his eyes were still on Sakura's leaving form._

 _I will figure it out Sakura. Just wait._

NOW:

Back in their classroom, Sakura watched the other teams meet their teachers and get taken away to someplace else.

"I wonder what our sensei will be like?" Ino said behind her. The teams were now all sitting together so Ino was squished between Shikamaru and Chouji. Sakura, on the other hand, decided to sit between her teammates to prevent any more fighting.

 _I really don't get them._ Sakura thought to herself. _They seem to radiate with hostility towards each other. But they keep communicating with subtle looks. Plus that weird shit earlier, where Naruto transformed into Sasuke and all that. Then Sasuke comes to ask me where Naruto is. I'm really positive that they're both in on it._

Sakura looked at Naruto then at Sasuke, who were now looking like they were trying hard to ignore each other.

A murderous killing intent radiated behind her. Sakura turned to see Ino glaring at her.

"What?" Sakura asked with a playful smile on her lips. Really, Ino's fangirlism was so funny to deal with. In all honesty, she could sense that Ino was so much more than this silly fangirl she was trying to portray. She seemed sharp and strong. Plus, she seemed to focus more on Sakura than on Sasuke. Maybe it was the rivalry that was actually driving her forward, not this charade. But nevertheless, it was funny trying to keep up with this tug of war on Sasuke.

 _Pretty boy with a tragic sob story._ Sakura guessed to herself. Sasuke constantly looked like he was carrying the weight of the world. He was just like James, but 8 years younger. So it just seemed like an 'awwww' moment.

 _What could have possibly happened to this little boy to gain that mood?_ Sakura wondered, flashing a look at Sasuke.

Ino caught her quick glance and narrowed her eyes.

"You purposely sat beside Sasuke now huh? Claiming to have a right on the seat since you're now his teammate and all that." Ino said with acid on her tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "One of these days Ino, I will show you what happens to fangirls who get stuck in actual combat." And it was true, they were going to die if they enter combat with _pretty little Sasuke_ in their heads. But Sakura knew that Ino would snap out of it when she was finally separated from Sakura, her main rival, and Sasuke, the love of her life, once she joined her own team. Sakura sighed as she thought of her past self, who probably never snapped out of it since she got into a team with her _Sasuke-kun._

Ino's mouth opened to retort, but Sakura beat her to it, not really wanting to hear Ino say how Sakura was a fangirl too. "I hope our sensei will be super strong."

Ino huffed. "Bet ours will be stronger."

Sakura shrugged. "We got _my_ Sasuke-kun on our team. We're obviously gonna have the best teacher."

Ino scowled and crossed her arms. "He's not yours Sakura!"

Sakura grinned up coyly at her. "Oh we'll just have to see about that."

 _Distraction is always effective._ She thought, amused. She teasingly fluttered her eyelashes at Ino. Then she put her chin on her hand and faced Sasuke, mouthing "Hello Handsome" as he glanced at her. Sasuke made a face and turned away. Ino fumed with anger behind her.

Sakura giggled. _2 points score! One at Ino and one at darling Sasuke. God I love being a kid haha!_

 _3 hours later_

"He's late!" Naruto complained in a loud voice. He ran to the door and checked outside for the umpteenth time.

Sakura sighed. "Ugh. Shut up Naruto! You're making my head pound!" But Sakura was feeling pissed as well. She could have done her shopping now. Or she could have done her research about this town so she wouldn't feel so lost. Or draft a general plan as to how she could achieve her objectives here.

But instead, she had been stuck for 3 hours in a room with 2 teenage boys. One was moody and the other was extremely loud.

Naruto stomped his feet. "But why is the teacher for our 7th group the only one who's late? All the other groups went somewhere with their new teachers already and Iruka sensei already went home!"

Sakura gazed curiously at Naruto. Naruto seemed much closer to Iruka sensei than anyone else in class. But then maybe it was because Naruto also seemed like an outcast. Not just in class, but in the whole village. Sakura noticed how the villagers looked at him when they were walking around earlier. As a matter of fact, only the ramen shop owner and his daughter seemed to not throw him scathing looks. Everyone else did.

Maybe Iruka had taken responsibility for watching over him.

Sakura vaguely wondered why everyone would hate on Naruto. He was loud and annoying and he seemed to like pranking a lot. But that was not enough reason to really hate him. In all actuality, it even made Naruto super adorable. He was like an ultra-hyper kid who couldn't sit still.

Naruto started to reach up between the opening of the doors.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asked curiously as she watched Naruto balance the board eraser between the opening of the door.

"It's his fault for being late!" Naruto declared, smirking with an evil glint in his eyes.

Sasuke just shook his head in exasperation. "Hmp. A jounin isn't going to fall for a plain old booby trap like this."

Sakura chuckled. "Well wouldn't that be a sight though. I hope he slaps it away and it hits you on the face Naruto."

"Saaaakuuuura chaaaan! Don't be like that!" Naruto wailed, making sad puppy eyes at her.

Sakura just giggled, waving a dismissive hand at him. "You should do a more creative prank. I thought you were the prank king! What's with that plain unoriginal trap?"

Naruto pouted. "Well I totally am! Noone can beat me in pranks. But you know, there's really not enough time now."

Sakura lifted her head to try to sense anyone approaching, and Naruto was right. Their teacher was already in the building and walking towards their room.

"Oh. Yeah you're right. He's almost here."

Then Sakura froze. _Wait, how in the world did Naruto know that their teacher was almost here? Can genin sense chakra signals already?_

At the same time, Naruto was also staring at Sakura with his mouth open. _Shit! I slipped that I knew sensei was coming. But Sakura sensed him too! Can she already sense chakra signals at this age?_

 _Oh shit I also made it known that I knew sensei was coming._ Sakura's wide eyes also landed on Naruto. And he stared back, frozen as well.

Then the door opened.

The eraser fell flat on their new sensei's head.

Silence descended on the room as they all turned to look at their teacher whose hand was still frozen at the door, and whose face was impassively staring at them. His head was covered with white dust from the eraser.

Then Sakura couldn't help it. She started giggling.

Naruto also broke down and started laughing hard. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU FELL FOR IT SENSEI. DAMN YOUR FACE IS SO FUNNY."

Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, but his lips were lifted at the corners ever so slightly.

"Hahahaha sorry sensei. We could have given you a more fun prank but we could practically already hear your footsteps." Sakura said, tears of relief and laughter pooling in her eyes.

Naruto frantically nodded. "Yeah yeah! That was totally it! We could hear your…er…footsteps."

Sakura tilted her head and smiled at Naruto. For now, she knew the issue was put to the side. They might have to confront it again, but it would be on some other time.

"It's all you this time Naruto. Wish I could have helped."

"Really?! Oh oh we could do something bigger next time! Our next target should still be our new teacher! Right sensei?"

Kakashi blinked at them. _Well isn't this a weird bunch._ He thought curiously. The Hokage already gave him a profile of the three, and even took him around town to their homes. As much as he didn't want to judge even before meeting them, he had already some preconceived notions and expectations about how the three was going to be. A clown, a moody brat, and a fan girl. Granted that the Hokage probably took the time to try to introduce him to them, probably because he would be handling not just some moody brat, but the heir of the Uchiha clan, and not just some clown, but the son of the Yondaime, it was still a little unlikely that they would pass his test anyway. Sasuke and Naruto were known to fight in their classes. And Sakura was known to always follow Sasuke like a dog. The Hokage would reprimand him when he failed them. But if they won't pass, then they just won't pass.

Sensing the trap even before he entered the room, he decided that he would allow it to hit him just to see if maybe, just maybe, they worked on it together. He expected to see the clown to be the culprit, the fangirl denying her allegiance to the trap, and the moody brat ignoring them. But as he entered the room and set the trap on himself, it was a totally strange atmosphere.

Naruto and Sakura were looking at each other as if they just discovered each other's secrets. And Sasuke was looking at Sakura with surprise in his eyes. Naruto also quickly exchanged a look with Sasuke.

And then they turned to him.

Then they laughed. They all laughed. Even Sasuke who only chuckled once then composed his face to a neutral expression.

Then they claimed to have heard his footsteps. They couldn't have. As a person who had gone through war before, he already mastered walking without any sound at all, as if crossing a battlefield. He did that subconsciously even if he was just walking around now.

Kakashi vaguely wondered just what happened before he entered the room. And what was with the weird dynamics. And what was with the blatant lie.

But Kakashi shrugged it all off. He had time to observe all of them.

So he put a hand on his chin and acted like he was in thought.

"Let me see what I think of you 3…." He eye smiled them. "I hate you."

Sakura giggled again. "Ofcourse, the man with dust in his hair would say that."

Turning away, she caught Sasuke staring at her.

Sakura's brows rose as she regarded him. "What?"

He didn't say anything, he just watched her. Sakura felt a little uneasy with his gaze because it felt like he was trying to figure her out. And she knew that he was actually trying to figure her out.

So she gave him her biggest smile and traced a finger down his cheeks. "Awww are you falling for me, Sa-su-ke-kun?

Sasuke scowled at her and jumped off his seat, slapping her finger away.

Kakashi sighed. _This is really turning into such a strange team._ "Meet at the rooftop." He said, then disappeared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura reached the rooftop to find their new sensei already standing at its edge. The dust in his hair was gone too. He was regarding the three of them impassively. He gestured for them to sit, so they all sat on the mini stairs in front of him.

"Let's see." Kakashi said, with that blank smile on his face again. "Why don't you introduce yourselves?"

Sakura tilted her head. "You do it first sensei. We all know each other from the academy and I'm sure you've read our files. But we don't know you at all."

 _Lie. Of course it was a lie. I know nothing about Sasuke and Naruto either._ Sakura thought, feeling slumped. But she had to keep up the act, Naruto almost busted her earlier too. Although she could easily claim that she had been practicing for years. Being the side character, it was easy to say that she had been too shy to really show her true skills all this time. She wondered how her 2 teammates would grow to be, knowing that they would be the future heroes and she would be at their side, supporting them. She really wanted to know more about them. But then she had a lot of time in their team now so she could always just do that later on.

"Yeah! That's right sensei!" Naruto said eagerly, looking up at their sensei with curiosity.

Kakashi pointed at himself. "Me?" I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you my likes and dislikes. As for my dream, I have a few hobbies."

And now she wanted to know about her sensei too. Kakashi sensei seemed awkward and goofy from the moment she saw him (what with the eraser falling on his head) but she could see the calculation behind his expression. He was smart, and he was starting to investigate on them. And now he was being mysterious.

"So all we found out is his name." She said absently, watching her teacher closely. Kakashi merely smiled at her.

 **Hey Sasuke! I think this is a pretty symbolic beginning for us, the introductions.** Naruto communicated his thought to Sasuke.

Sasuke's expression didn't change, pretending to be above everyone else again. He already noticed Sakura looking at him and Naruto when they were communicating in their minds. He had to be careful. But he answered back, **Your point?**

 **We could actually try to tell some of the truth here!** Naruto told him in excitement.

Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. **You really are a dobe. You want to tell them we're from the future?** And speaking of, Sasuke threw a glance at Sakura. He already had a few theories behind her weird actions. But what didn't fit was that all her reactions were genuine. Like she was actually experiencing everything for the first time. Like right now, she was watching Kakashi sensei with real curiosity, as if she was trying to bore her gaze into his mind. So now it just confused him.

 **Teme, of course not! We're just going to make it vague. This is a new beginning for us after all.**

 **And we need to do this because….?**

 **Because it would be cool?**

Sasuke sighed. His future Hokage was really such a child sometimes. But there was no stopping him now as a glint of determination flashed in the blonde's eyes.

"Now it's your turn. You first, Naruto." Kakashi stated, turning to Naruto with a bland expression.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto said in his usual loud voice as he fiddled with his headband. "I like watching the happiness of the people around me. And I like being a part of that happiness! Protecting it and all that. Of course I like ramen the most! I hate being helpless and unable to aid my people. But I hate revenge obsessed idiots the most." He glanced at Sasuke and smirked. Sasuke sighed and shook his head. "My hobby is simply spending time with the people I love, making myself grow stronger so I can always protect them, and eating and comparing ramen! My dream is to create a peaceful world. While it is difficult to achieve, I believe with the right determination and with changed people around you, it is totally possible!"

Silence.

Kakashi stared at Naruto with obvious surprise while Sakura stared at him in confusion.

 **Dobe. I told you this would come across strange. Your introduction sounds too mature.** Sasuke scolded Naruto. But Naruto just beamed at all of them.

 **Well you gotta do it now too Teme! Or else I would definitely sound suspicious.** Naruto thought to him smugly.

Sasuke sighed, knowing that Naruto was right. Naruto would definitely be a subject for Kakashi's suspicion if Sasuke didn't act weird too. So before Kakashi could turn to Sakura, he piped up.

"I'll go next." Sasuke said, keeping his hands folded infront of his face. _This is so hassle. I'm going to punch the living day lights out of Naruto later on._

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have a lot of likes, and if I do, I don't think much about them. But I do know that I'm at peace, knowing that people are safe around me. I hate what I had become, and everything I chose to represent. My hobby is staying alone with my thoughts, or looking over the villages that finally changed me. My dream is repentance. I owe the world a big debt, but in time, I hope I will be able to make up for it."

 **Still Sasuke? You're still repenting?** Naruto asked from the corner of his eyes, with a worried expression.

Sasuke shrugged.

 **Sasuke you already did so much, saved so many. You owe the world nothing now.** Naruto continued on, fixing him with a soft expression. Sasuke didn't look back and just stayed silent.

Naruto just shook his head. **Well look on the bright side! Your answer is so much weirder than me. Now Kakashi sensei's attention is on both of us!**

 **Ugh seriously. If he starts following us, we are baiting you.** Sasuke told him in complaint, trying hard not to scowl.

Sakura on the other hand was in total confusion.

"I'm sorry, but how old are we again?" She blurted out, looking at her teammates with suspicion. But Naruto only turned to her with a mysterious grin while Sasuke just stared back impassively.

She wanted to know about her teammates, and she knew they were going to be great someday. But right now, they were both just kids. 2 teenage boys with issues here and there. What she expected to hear was more silliness from Naruto and perhaps a little peak on the terrible experience that Sasuke supposedly had.

But what she heard instead was a mature version of Naruto who spoke like a true leader. Weirdly, she knew Naruto was an outcast with little to no real friends so it was strange for her to hear him say that he wanted to spend time with the people he loved. She also knew that people were hostile towards him so it was also strange that he liked basking in those people's happiness. It was a mature take on life. Maybe he could have insisted on wanting to be Hokage so he could earn people's respects. That would have made more sense. But what he wanted was peace, pure and simple.

What was stranger was Sasuke. Naruto's ideals were vague enough. But Sasuke's were that of a person who already spent years in this world. He hated what he had become and everything he chose to represent? He was 12 for god's sake! And his dream is repentance. He said it with a barely concealed sorrow in his voice so she knew he meant it. But what could he possibly have done at 12 that would earn that kind of goal?

Her teammates were really such an enigma.

"You." Kakashi called her. "It's your turn."

She looked at the 3 men in team 7, wondering how the hell her plain past self ever survived in this team. Of course she was all kinds of strange now too. But looking at her past self, she seemed to be just an annoying little fan girl with teenage insecurities. Whereas her team seemed to all have issues, even her seemingly stoic sensei. She could see the flashes of understanding in his eyes, which could only be gotten by a person who had gone through as much. And whatever these boys where going through, she was gonna be in it for the long haul.

 _Oh well, it couldn't hurt then._ She thought to herself as she cleared her throat. After all, nothing she say now would be stranger, not after her weirdo teammates.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. I have a deep appreciation for anything and everything I see." This was because since she lost her memories, everything was fascinating to her. "But what I like the most is a vibrant surrounding, filled with people full of life, with different goals and ambitions and thoughts and memories. I dislike anything that disrupts these places, anything that causes harm to the core and blood of these cities and villages. I also honestly hate revenge obsessed idiots. Although I could really understand where they're coming from." She nodded at Naruto, who blinked at her in surprise. She was, of course, thinking about James. "I love and hate pink. Because it both identifies me and cage me in a solitary identity." Because when you think pink, you think Sakura. It was annoying as hell. But people would always underestimate her for it. It was easy to work with that. "My dream? Of course I vowed to protect the people. As long as there's living, I offer my oath of protection. But my ultimate goal is to bring home a…..friend." She looked at the sky, deep in thought. "He's lost and hurt. And I know he vowed to kill me. But I would give my life if it means I can bring him home."

Silence settled on the rooftop.

 _Ooops. The last part was too specific._ Sakura thought as she awkwardly scratched her head and gave a flimsy smile to her team.

 _Well that was just as weird as Naruto and Sasuke's intro. It shouldn't be so bad._ Sakura nodded to herself as she watched her team's expression morph from surprise to confusion to curiosity.

Kakashi tilted his head and regarded her with a careful expression. "Someone is trying to kill you, Sakura?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You're really gonna do this Kakashi sensei? I'm gonna tell you if you ask Sasuke what he's repenting for or who's the revenge obsessed idiot that Naruto hates."

 _Ahhhh favoritism alert. I can see it now. He's cautious of Naruto and Sasuke, but he doesn't want to push them so he won't ask. But he can ask me since he doesn't think I'm all that much._ Sakura thought with amusement.

Kakashi considered this for a moment. "But if you need to be protected from anyone, maybe you should report it."

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe Sasuke did something inhumanly terrible and Naruto's revenge obsessed idiot could be an international criminal. But you didn't ask them. Ask them first and I'll tell you mine."

Kakashi chuckled at Sakura's frankness. He honestly thought that she didn't seem like much before the introductions. But she was as interesting as Naruto and Sasuke after all.

Sakura crossed her arms. "Fine. I'm changing my answer then. I like Sasuke-kun. I dislike anything that's not Sasuke-kun. My hobby is following Sasuke-kun around. My dream is to be Sasuke-kun's wife."

 _And she has a temper too._ Kakashi decided as he watched the only female member of his team with amusement. He shook his head and smiled at her.

"No it's okay. The first one seemed to say a lot about you than the Sasuke-kun speech." Kakashi said, nodding in approval. Sakura merely rolled her eyes.

Kakashi gazed at his students with clear curiosity. The three of them were really not what he expected at all. And their introductions were just downright confusing. Sakura's call out to Naruto and Sasuke's intro were on point, they seemed much older and much more experienced. But then Sakura did the same. It was vague enough that it could be idealistic, but the way they said it hid memories that they were all actually conveying with subtle hints.

He expected Naruto to be an idiot, and declare his desire to be Hokage as he heard from everyone. But what he did was express an idealistic desire for peace, which was what a true Hokage would want. So it was really surprising. He expected Sasuke to declare his hatred for his brother, but instead he desired repentance. _For what?_ Kakashi wondered. He thought Sasuke would be absorbed with revenge for his brother. He even thought that Naruto caught on, that's why he included it in his intro. A revenge obsessed idiot indeed. But Sasuke didn't even mention it. _Did Sasuke let it go?_ Kakashi thought to himself. He had a suspicion that the Hokage wanted him to be Sasuke's mentor, not just to teach him the sharingan, but also to help stop him from going mad because of revenge. But if Sasuke was not even concerned about it…

And Sakura was supposed to be a fan girl. Her second intro was what he was expecting. But instead, she did a weird take about the world and her desire to keep it lively. Plus she mentioned someone she intended to bring home. _Who?_ Kakashi wondered yet again.

This team was definitely gonna drive him crazy.

Kakashi clapped his hands. "All right, you three have unique personalities. I like that! We're going to begin a mission starting tomorrow."

 _Huh. Unique alright. It's like the 3 of us came from different worlds._ Sakura thought to herself, glancing at the 2, Naruto who looked fired up and Sasuke who was trying to look indifferent.

Naruto performed a salute. "What kind of mission is that sir?"

"First we're going to do something that we four can do." Kakashi told them.

Naruto started to fret in his seat. "What what what what is it?"

Sakura pinched Naruto's bottom.

"SAKURA CHAN! DID YOU JUST PINCH MY BUTT?" Naruto yelled in a shocked voice. Sakura laughed.

"Oh I thought there was a bug in your pants since you kept moving around."

"IT HUUUUURTS YA KNOW!"

Kakashi sighed. "Settle down children." _Jeez I swear I'm handling kindergarten kids._

"Anyway, it's a Survival training."

Naruto tilted his head, one hand still rubbing his sore butt. Sakura giggled. "Survival training?" Naruto asked, throwing Sakura a glare.

Kakashi nodded. "This is no ordinary training."

"Then, then what kind of training is it?"

Kakashi took this cue to start laughed evilly. To be fair, he was also really laughing at the madness of this all. His team was seriously starting to get to him. And he wasn't even sure if they would pass.

He waited for anyone in the team to ask him why he was laughing madly. But when he finally opened his one eye to look at his students' reactions, they were just staring at him and waiting for him to calm down.

"I didn't know that Naruto's butt is that funny." Sakura whispered to Sasuke. Sasuke just shook his head, flashing a look of amusement then returning back to his indifferent expression.

Naruto was pouting at him. "Yeah sensei. I'm going to pinch your butt one of these days and let's see how funny that will be!"

Kakashi face palmed. "I was NOT laughing at Naruto's butt. Timing you three, seriously. Now when did I start laughing?"

"When Naruto lifted his ass to rub the deeper part?" Sakura piped up.

Naruto scowled. "I don't know how your pinch got all the way there! I swear that's molestation Sakura chan!"

Sasuke scoffed. "As if anyone would want to molest you Dobe. Much less your ass."

"Well let me sit on that damn smirk and you tell me how lovely my ass is-"

"CHILDREN." Kakashi called out, feeling mildly annoyed and mildly bewildered. "We were talking about the survival training."

"Oh right! The survival training! Were you laughing at that sensei?" Sakura asked innocently.

Kakashi sighed. "Never mind. Now listen, out of the 27 graduates, only 9 are going to become genins. The other 18 will be sent back to the academy. In other words, this training is going to be a very hard test with a dropout rate of 66%. See? You 3 are surprised."

Naruto gasped and stood up defiantly. "No way! I went through so much trouble! Then what was the final exam for!"

Kakashi shrugged, finally seeing the reaction he was expecting for on Naruto and Sasuke…although Sakura was just looking at him. "That? It just picks out who are qualified to be a genin."

"What?!" Naruto yelled. Sakura hit him on the back of his head.

"Ow Sakura chan-"

"I think it makes sense." Sakura said, nodding in approval.

Sasuke raised his brows. "That there's another chance that we'll be sent back to the academy?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "The goal here is not to pass, but to see if we are ready. I think this test makes sense. Have you seen the state our classmates are in?"

Sasuke looked at her condescendingly, as if conveying "Like you?"

Sakura just shook her head, exasperated. "Yes, like me Sasuke. Fan girls and all those lot. I think another test is necessary."

"And if you fail?" Sasuke challenged.

Sakura stared back with determination. "Then I fail. It means I need to train more to properly be ready."

Sasuke smirked at her, as if conveying an insult that she definitely won't pass. Annoyed, Sakura stared back unblinking. A few beats passed and Kakashi had to clear his throat.

"If you two are done with your staring match. Anyway, I'm going to determine whether you pass or fail tomorrow at the training grounds. Bring your ninja equipment and meet at 5 am!

Kakashi clapped his hands again, signaling the end of their strange meeting. "Now then, meeting over! Oh yeah, don't eat breakfast. You're going to throw up if you do. "Then he disappeared.

Sakura scratched her head in confusion. "A survival training and we shouldn't eat? Man our teacher is mad!"

Sasuke threw her a look and shrugged. "Then eat."

With a swift movement, Sasuke also disappeared.

"See ya tomorrow Sakura chan!" Naruto said with a bright smile. With another movement, he disappeared as well.

Sakura blinked at the places where they vanished.

 _Wow, genin and can already do those stuff. I'm either in a really awesome team or a really crazy one. I thought Naruto was supposed to be dead last though._ Sakura thought to herself as she took her sweet time going down the stairs. She was going to do her shopping today after all, no need to hurry or be flashy.

She wondered if she was going to pass tomorrow. She had a feeling that it won't just be about skill. She then wondered if her past self had passed.

 _Oh well, we'll just see tomorrow then._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Naruto, can you hear me?** Sasuke called Naruto in his thoughts.

 **Oy Teme! I'm in the toilet.** Naruto answered, even groaning a little.

 **Kami. Then don't answer!** Sasuke shook his head and tried to block out Naruto's voice. But of course, to no avail.

 **Don't be like that Teme. It doesn't matter that I'm answering nature's call. What did you want?**

Sasuke didn't answer, willing Naruto to give up and stop bothering him.

 **I know you can hear me Sasuke. I'll start singing if you don't answer!**

Sasuke sighed. **Seriously Naruto, I swear you've become a child after we went back to the past.**

Naruto chuckled. **Yeah yeah. But it's fun isn't it Sasuke? After all, we're already on top of the world at the future. It's nice to lie back and be an idiot again.**

 **You are always an idiot.** Sasuke retorted.

Naruto laughed. **So did you just bother me to tell me I'm a child?**

 **No. I wanted to talk about Sakura.**

Naruto silenced, deep in thought as he thought about their 3rd teammate. **Yeah. Sakura. I know what you meant now that there's something strange about her. Is that why you carelessly disappeared in front of her? You know we're not supposed to be able to do that.**

Sasuke snorted. **Yeah like how you and Sakura weren't supposed to detect Kakashi's chakra signal back in the room.**

 **Yeah but that was an accident. This time, you meant for her to see that.** Naruto told him, suspicion leaking from his voice.

 **I did.** Sasuke said, remembering catching Sakura's eyes before he disappeared. **I want her to know that we're all probably on the same boat.**

Naruto gasped. **You think she's from the future too?**

Sasuke shrugged. **I honestly don't know. I checked her chakra signals and it was definitely Sakura. I also used my sharingan quickly on her to see if she was possessed or something. No she wasn't. She was more matured and she acts differently from the Sakura we knew then. But what confuses me is she doesn't seem to know any future event.**

Naruto clicked his tongue. **Well that cancels it out then. The thing about being from the future is knowing what's gonna happen.**

 **I know, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. What's weirder is she doesn't seem to know herself as well. And what was that about a friend she wanted to bring back? Anyway, tomorrow is the bell test and we can check out her set of skills then. Maybe we can figure it out afterwards.** Sasuke said, feeling increasingly curious as he remembered his observations on the sharp, playful, and carefree Sakura that they have been encountering.

 **Tomorrow then, Sasuke. Now leave me in peace while I sing with the nature's call.** Naruto said easily. Sasuke scowled and immediately tried to block off Naruto.

 _Yes, tomorrow indeed._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

5 am sharp and Sakura was the only one there at the training grounds.

"Ohhhkayyy." Sakura said, looking around for any movement. The sun wasn't even up yet, and she had thought that this was really an unreasonable time to meet up. And apparently, all the other members of team 7 thought so too and decided not to show up.

Sighing, Sakura made herself settle at the foot of a stump. She could try to sleep of course, but she was already awake and energized. She even woke up an hour early so she could do her morning workout. While it was a force of habit, she also thought that her skinny and soft body desperately needed some work. So she spent time doing her usual routine. After all, one of a protector's most useful tool to fight was their own body.

She tugged at her new clothes. It was a simple brown sleeveless shirt and black shorts. It didn't look anything attractive, but she needed to reorganize her past self's priorities. She could continue pushing her fangirl character, but she couldn't let herself get killed because of the limited movement her dress trapped her in.

So she bought something breezy, light, and plain so she could blend in. Of course, no matter what she did, she would never really blend in because of her hair, but it was worth a shot to try and look simple. She wondered if it was too drastic though. After all, young Sakura was vain and insecure. But she decided that she could always use being shinobi as an excuse to cause changes. She did tie her hair in 2 pigtail braids in an attempt to look like she was attempting to look cute. The braids though were dual purpose, cuteness and it neatly separated her long hair in 2 secure ties.

She opened her bag and several books popped out. Aside from shopping, she also stopped by the library to borrow some books about Konoha, or the basics of ninja, and stuff like that. If she was going to truly integrate herself to this world, then she should at least know her basics. After all, Sasuke did say that her knowledge and book smart character was her asset. So she should start living up to it.

Her sensei was 3 hours late yesterday. So her teammates were probably going to come in at 2. She settled back and picked out one book and started reading attentively.

Soon, she was so engrossed in her book that she didn't even notice the sun come up. Or when her teammates finally arrived.

"Good morning Sakura chan!" Naruto said in a bubbly and warm yell.

Sakura looked up from her book and threw him and Sasuke a glare.

"Well good morning to you two. Had a nice few hours sleeping in?"

Sasuke shrugged. "We knew Kakashi sensei is going to be late. Besides, you knew too."

Sakura shook her head and decided to just ignore them. She pore her attention back to her book.

"Shinobi tactics know how, the basics." Sasuke stated, reading the label at the back of her book. "What are you doing reading this Sakura? This is academy level."

"And what are you doing minding my business, Sasuke? I love you and I want you to marry me but every couple needs space. Especially when I'm sleep deprived and hungry. So shoo." Sakura said, waving her hand infront of Sasuke's face.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke caught Sakura's waving hand and put a bread on it. He turned and started walking away.

"Hey. HEY! Sasuke-kun _darling_ , what in the world is this?" Sakura called after Sasuke, looking at the bread and sniffing it in case of traps.

"It's obviously a bread, Sakura _dear_." Sasuke replied sarcastically. A nerve ticked at Sakura's temple.

"I know it's a bread my _sweetness_. But why are you giving me a bread?"

Sasuke just stared at her impassively. "To eat, my _cuteness."_

"Kami, stop flirting already. It's so early in the morning." Naruto grumbled beside them, eyeing them with clear humor in his eyes.

"Don't you start on 'it's early' on me Naruto baka! You don't know what early is if it hits you on the face!" Sakura yelled at Naruto, who started walking backwards with his hands raised.

"Hey don't fight me! Sasuke is your opponent here!" Naruto backtracked.

Turning back on Sasuke, Sakura crossed her arms. "We're not allowed to eat."

"You said it yourself, a survival training without eating is just mad." Sasuke said simply.

Sakura shrugged. "Yeah but there might be a purpose to it. Kakashi sensei might be mad but he's our jounin sensei."

Sasuke walked up to her. "Ahhh you're prim and proper then aren't you _Sakura?_ Especially with your…..interesting new attire. _"_

"You're just taunting me to eat the bread, Sasuke." Sakura said, an eyebrow lifted.

Sasuke smirked. "Keep telling yourself that."

Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but before she could say anything, the bread was snatched out of her hand and shoved into her mouth. Choking, Sakura looked up to see Naruto hurrying away and pretending to casually whistle.

When she was finally able to swallow the damn thing, Sakura faced the direction that Naruto has gone and yelled, "NARUTO YOU BAKA! GET OVER HERE! I WILL STUFF YOUR MOUTH WITH DIRT, YOU ASS!"

 **Oy Sasuke teme! Why did you have to taunt and insult Sakura?! Now look what happened!** Naruto thought to Sasuke as he desperately tried to run for his life as Sakura chased him.

Sasuke lifted his shoulders in a shrug. **I didn't tell you to stuff it in her face. She seemed cranky this morning though.**

 **Well we did forget to tell her to not come on time…**

Soon, Kakashi finally arrived at the training grounds, only to see his cute students all ragged up. Sakura seemed to be heaving with annoyance. Naruto had a big bump on his head, which he was crying over behind the stump. And Sasuke looked disinterested as usual, but he seemed to be smirking at Naruto.

"Er…..Hi fellows. Good morning?" Kakashi greeted them uncertainly.

Naruto suddenly jumped out of the stomp. And Sakura stood up and put her hands on her hips.

"YOU'RE LATE." They yelled at the same time.

Kakashi scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "A black cat crossed my path so…"

Sakura and Naruto both fumed.

"If you weren't late, then Sakura chan wouldn't be so angry." Naruto muttered, sneaking a peak at Sakura.

"Sakura _chan_ is naturally irate." Sasuke muttered audibly. Sakura turned to him and started to menacingly walk to Sasuke when Naruto held Sakura's arms back.

"Naruto-"

"Sakura chan, come on. You know Sasuke is just really a teme like that."

Sasuke started. "Hey!"

Kakashi sighed. _Here we go. They seem more disconnected than usual. Too bad._ Clearing his throat, he waved his hand to get the attention of his students. " _Children_ , Let's move on."

Kakashi put a black alarm clock on the top of a stomp, the one where Sakura settled down earlier. He set the alarm clock to 12. Then he pulled out 2 bells and dangled it infront of them.

"Today's topic is to get one of these bells from me." Kakashi said, jingling the bells. "Whoever can't will have no lunch."

Naruto's mouth fell open. "What?!"

Sakura giggled, her foul mood lifting a little at Naruto's antics. Of course, Naruto would be concerned of lunch above all else.

"I'm going to tie you there and eat lunch infront of you." Kakashi continued on.

Naruto clasped his hands on his face and groaned. Sakura suddenly realized that eating the bread was the right thing to do early on. She glanced at Sasuke and smiled her gratitude awkwardly. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

 _I wonder how they knew._ Sakura wondered, gazing at Sasuke with her usual glittering fangirl gaze.

Sakura then turned her gaze back at Kakashi, who was still holding the bells up.

"But wait why are there only two bells?" Sakura asked, looking at the bells then at her teammates.

Kakashi smiles, glad that his routine was finally on track and no one seemed to be interrupting him. "Since there's only two, at least one has to be tied to the log. That person will fail since he failed to complete the mission." He jingled bells again tauntingly. "That person will go back to the academy."

 _That's strange._ Sakura thought, her brows closing in. _He's obviously putting us against each other. But the book earlier said that a genin team is composed of three people. If one person fails here, then what happens?_

"It might be just one or all three. You can use your shuriken. You won't be able to get this unless you have the will to kill me." Kakashi continued on, enjoying the flash of shock and confusion on his students' faces.

"But he couldn't even dodge that eraser!" Naruto exclaimed with a triumphant smile. But Sakura shook her head.

"We shouldn't be able to hurt him in any way."

"Eh Sakura chan?" Naruto turned to her curiously, but she just shrugged.

 _Watching my classmates, we're all so immature and weak and flimsy. We couldn't touch a jounin even if we tried. Sasuke probably can impress, he's the top of our class after all._ She thought in contemplation.

"In society, those who don't have many abilities tend to complain more. Just ignore the guy with the lowest score." Kakashi said, looking at Naruto.

Naruto's fists clenched, but he didn't move and just fixed a glare at their sensei.

 _That was totally below the belt. Man our sensei is serious today._ Sakura thought to herself. She put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and squeezed it. Naruto turned to her with a surprised look on his face. But she just smiled.

 _You're great Naruto! Don't listen to him._ She wanted to say. She hoped the smile delivered the message across.

"We're going to start after I say ready start!" Kakashi sensei signaled.

Sakura wondered if her past self had made it today. Maybe she got it wrong and these two weren't the people she would be supporting. Perhaps she would fail today, go back to the academy, and meet the heroes of this world. Or maybe this was it already.

 _Oh well, who knows. We'll just have to see._

"Ready start!" Kakashi yelled.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **A/N:**

 **1\. Bold letters = Sasuke and Naruto's communicated thoughts**

 **Italic letters = own thoughts**

 **Normal letters = Story**

 **2\. Sakura is still learning her way to using her chakra so she didn't know how to do medical stuff yet. Especially since back in her world, Sakura was the offensive, so Allison or Calvin would do the healing for her. She never needed to learn it. But of course, as being medical is one of Sakura's main traits, she would eventually figure out that she's awesome at it.**

 _Previously:_

 _Sakura wondered if her past self had made it today. Maybe she got it wrong and these two weren't the people she would be supporting. Perhaps she would fail today, go back to the academy, and meet the heroes of this world. Or maybe this was it already._

 _Oh well, who knows. We'll just have to see._

" _Ready start!" Kakashi yelled._

NOW

The clearing was silent, save for the sweet chirping of the birds and the refreshing gush of water from the flowing river. Kakashi surveyed his surrounding and was satisfied that this team at least knew the basic tactic of hiding oneself in the face of a strong target. The key in that situation was to work smarter than to try to conquer with brutish strength.

"Good, everyone is hidden nicely." Kakashi said, nodding in approval.

Of course, every team had an idiot to bear with.

"Let's have a match fair and square!" Naruto yelled from behind him, maintaining a proud and confident stance with his hands on his hips and an excited grin on his face.

 _Maahh he didn't even try to attack me from behind, and using the element of surprise to his advantage._ Kakashi mused in exasperation, watching Naruto with a frown. _Of course, this is Naruto we are talking about._

But on the other hand, Naruto was trying hard to keep the stupid grin on his face.

 **Sasukeeeee, do I still have to act this stupid? I don't think I have ever done this for a long time, especially after the war!** Naruto called out to Sasuke in his head. Of course, Sasuke was hidden somewhere, only barely concealing his chakra so that Kakashi could still detect him. It wouldn't be good to completely disappear from Kakashi's radar and have the man suspicious.

 **Please. Even during the war, you would still jump in front of the enemy and straight out attack.** Sasuke retorted with a roll of his eyes.

Naruto shook his head only inwardly. **Yeah but I could be hella strong there! Here I have to act like I don't know any powerful jutsu. So jumping in front of the enemy is really stupid.**

 **And you're supposed to be an idiot now Naruto. Your story was really inspiring because you started from the bottom up. You have to show that you worked hard for everything that you will be capable of.** Sasuke maintained. **If you act like a prodigy now, it wouldn't quite have the same effect.**

Naruto sighed. **I know I know. Oh fine. This sucks you know. You're alright because you can act** _ **like**_ **the prodigy that you are. You could be all mysterious about your powers! But fine. Still, I am not going to let him do the 1000 years of pain on me again! My level of shame has limits!**

 **It does? I thought you were always trying to be in shame.** Sasuke asked innocently.

Naruto tried to communicate his glower to Sasuke.

But Sasuke merely chuckled. **Yes you don't need to give in to the 1000 years of pain. Just as you didn't need to attack Kakashi sensei earlier when he was trying to provoke you.** It was true too. Kakashi had clearly tried to get Naruto to attack him so he could show off just how fast he could dodge. Obviously, he wanted to demonstrate to his students the reason why they must absolutely try to go after him with the intention to kill. And in the past, Naruto had been provoked, and he attacked Kakashi head on. Kakashi was able to twist his arm and point his own blade at the back of his neck.

Naruto had stubbornly stood his ground this time though, not wanting his own blade twisted to the back of his head. It could be suspicious but Sasuke thought that Naruto could wave it off with a lame excuse like 'wanting to be all serious because of being ninja.'

In the same way, the thousand years of pain was only intended to ridicule them. It was to show that Kakashi would merely play with them while they give their all. Its purpose was to make it clear that their own strength wouldn't be enough, that they needed to work smarter. Given that the answer to this activity's riddle was teamwork, and given that the three of them had issues with each other for years in the academy, no matter the hints, their past selves wouldn't have guessed right anyway. So they didn't need Kakashi's clues to manifest. Thus, Naruto didn't need to go through that, no matter how funny it would be.

On another end, Sakura was completely hidden above the whole clearing. She lifted some lump of sturdy earth and made the chakra and energy in the air move to carry it up into the air, with her riding it. Then she attached the energy around her to herself and the lump of earth and forced her system to adapt. So she camouflaged, effectively disappearing from sight, smell, and feel. She could still make a sound and be caught. But she was still and suspended completely at the moment.

She was quietly observing her target, and the scene that Naruto was currently playing with said target.

Of course if Kakashi would pay attention, he would realize that Sakura was completely missing. But his attention was on Naruto, and Sasuke who was crouching some distance away to watch the fight.

Sasuke was trying to feel around though, and he definitely noticed that Sakura was missing.

The whole purpose of this survival test, while it was mainly to establish rapport with their sensei, it was also to find out just what exactly Haruno Sakura was. Sasuke wanted to observe feisty little Sakura on this test and how she would perform. He even deliberately tried to push her off the edge just to prove that something was definitely amiss with her. Sakura at this age would have never tried to bicker with him. And the fierier she became, the more curious he was.

Sasuke, after all, was never at the receiving end of Sakura's famous temper. It was both shocking and interesting. She had a sharp tongue that went along with her sharp punches.

So he looked around in puzzlement.

 **Naruto, Sakura is-**

 **Later Sasuke. I'm trying to focus on being an idiot.** Naruto lamented, determinedly but sorrowfully trying to maintain the act.

Kakashi visibly slumped at the sight of Naruto. "Aren't you a little weird compared to the rest?"

Naruto merely shrugged. "What's weird is your hairstyle!"

Sakura giggled a little from where she was hiding. Trust Naruto to be completely hilarious in provoking Kakashi sensei. Not that he was actually trying to. Knowing Naruto, he probably just said it just because he wanted to, and not for strategy at all.

Satisfied with his thrown insult, Naruto charged straight at Kakashi. Kakashi's hand quickly goes straight to his hip pouch. Naruto's steps faltered, quickly jumping to the side in preparation to whatever Kakashi was going to pull out. Frozen in his steps, Naruto watched Kakashi with wide eyes.

 **Kakashi sensei is really so hilarious.** Naruto mused at Sasuke.

 **Lame. Trying to scare us with that orange book.** Sasuke countered lazily, shaking his head at the helplessness of the two idiots in team 7. Of course, they both knew that Kakashi was only going to pull out his book to antagonize them.

 **In his defense,** Naruto was really trying hard to continue looking wary instead of breaking down into a series of laughs. **He brings out that orange book to annoy us.**

 **How is that in his defense?** Sasuke grumbled, just exasperated now.

"Ninja tactic know how number one, taijutsu. I'll teach you that first." Kakashi declared, looking at Naruto easily. He pulled out that orange book that Sasuke and Naruto only knew too well since Kakashi would always read it infront of them. The famous Icha Icha paradise.

 **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA** Naruto laughed in his head. **God look at him Sasuke! He looks so proud bringing his book out. He wants me to freak on him for reading while fighting me. And he knows that even if he does it, the old me wouldn't have had the chance anyway! I really wish I could just kick his ass right now just to mess with his smug face!**

 **Dobe Focus!** Sasuke scolded him. **You look like you're in pain now! Remember, you're supposed to look confused and wary. Not like now, you look like you're trying not to pee.**

 _What in the world did Kakashi sensei pull out? Is that a special guide book? I better get one of those later._ Sakura wondered to herself, carefully watching the fight and studying how Kakashi sensei would attack. _Although really, pulling out a guide book in the middle of the fight is not wise. I wonder what Kakashi sensei is up to?_

Kakashi glanced at Naruto, only momentarily looking up from his book. "What's the matter? Come and get me."

Naruto's face flashed with wariness and curiosity. "But..um um…why did you take out a book?"

"Why? I got curious as to how the story will develop. Don't worry about it. It's the same whether I read it or not." Kakashi said casually, as if he couldn't even be bothered to give Naruto a reply.

There was a 5 second pause as Naruto's face drained of all expression.

 **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.**

 **DOBE STOP IT! WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT THIS!**

Then Naruto's eye twitched, with effort of course since he was still trying not to laugh.

His face contorted into something nasty as he finally snapped and charged with brute force, his fists clenched in anger. "I will pound you!" He bellowed, his eyes wide and his teeth clenched.

His foot shot straight into Kakashi's face. But just as he lifted it, Kakashi had already moved. His foot only landed in empty space. He raised his fist and aimed at Kakashi's stomach, but he was only starting to draw back his arm when Kakashi disappeared from that spot again.

In quick successions, Naruto kicked and punched and elbowed and even tried to head butt, but he was always a second too late to even land a single hit. Kakashi was dodging in a lightning fast movement.

 **Not really lightning fast.** Sasuke thought to Naruto. **I could follow his movements.**

Naruto just nodded. **I know. I could too. But it was lightning fast to us when we were kids. Kakashi could move a hundred times faster but he's holding back for now. Heck I so wish I could just get one solid hit at his face. Can I Sasuke? Just one? Please?**

 **As funny as that would be, you very well know the answer to that, Dobe.**

Probably already bored, Kakashi finally ended behind Naruto, with a Kunai aimed at his back.

"A ninja should not let the enemy get behind him multiple times, idiot." Kakashi jabbed at Naruto, lazily holding the kunai with a bored expression.

Then he lifted his hands and made a tiger seal sign.

 **Oooooookay. Time to escape. Here comes the thousand years sign!** Naruto frantically declared to Sasuke.

Sasuke snickered. **Won't you let him do it Dobe? It would be like old times after all.**

 **Old times my ass. In fact that "old times" is actually to my ass. So shut up.** Naruto grumbled in his head. The thousand years of pain was meant for Kakashi's fingers to stick up his ass and shoot him straight to the river with an unknown force. **Never again.** Naruto determinedly thought to Sasuke, making Sasuke snicker harder in his thoughts.

Above them, Sakura was staring with her mouth open in surprise. _That's the tiger seal!_ Sakura thought, as she remembered what she read with her books. It was supposed to summon some ninjutsu techniques, which was weird since Kakashi declared that his ninja know how lesson was Taijutsu. But what surprised Sakura was how Kakashi sensei would choose to use that while Naruto had his back turned on him. Naruto was completely vulnerable, to an unknown powerful attack that Kakashi might perform with that tiger seal.

Without a second thought, Sakura jumped off her floating earth and landed straight in the tight space between Kakashi and Naruto.

Kakashi's face flashed with shock, as he instinctively jumped back at the sudden force infront of him. _What the-_

As Kakashi jumped, Sakura quickly grabbed Naruto's arm and also leaped away. As they landed, Naruto looked at Sakura with a dumbfounded expression.

"Uhhhh….Sakura chan?" Naruto stammered in astonishment. **Sasuke! Did you see that? What just happened?**

 **Sakura came to your rescue.** Sasuke told him simply, suspicion laced in his voice. **I was trying to tell you, she was completely gone earlier. It seems like she was hiding above after all.**

Naruto blinked. **How in the world did she do that? Was she flying or something?**

Sasuke just shook his head for now. **We'll find out later. Let's see how this plays out.**

 _Shit._ Sakura mentally cursed herself. Watching Kakashi up close now, she realized that there was no buildup of chakra in Kakashi's system. Meaning, the tiger seal was just for show. He wasn't going to actually endanger Naruto. And now, with her momentary heroism, she had conveniently given away her position.

Well, she might as well make the best out of it. She would run again when the opportunity comes. She had not figure out what this test was for yet anyway. She needed all the information she could get. For now, she would do what she jumped down for.

"Naruto, run." She whispered, her lips barely moving.

Naruto looked indignant, snapping out of his frozen shock when she gave him an order.

"NO WAY! I-"

"You're being careless Naruto!" Sakura snapped, turning an angry look at him. "He's stronger than you so you should make a plan before attacking with just your strength. For a moment there I thought-" She paused, her last sentence stated with a shaky voice. Naruto finally shut up as a look of worry flashed across her angry face.

"Sakura chan, I can take care of myself okay?" Naruto said softly, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, as if declaring that he was indeed okay.

Sakura sighed. "I know that. You are Naruto after all." She smiled as Naruto responded with a shy beam. "But for now, go hide. I will escape in a while, but please please, think about how you'll attack okay? I'll give you time."

Naruto hesitated, but hearing the concern on her voice, he finally nodded. "Alright. You got it Sakura chan! Give him a beating for me! And try to catch one of the bells too! We could boycott the Teme and get him tied to the log!"

Sakura laughed, and nearby they could hear a faint snarl. Naruto chuckled at that. Then with a good guy pose, Naruto leaped away.

Sakura then faced Kakashi, who was merely watching them.

"Very noble Sakura chan." Kakashi complimented with an amused glint in his eye. "But rather rash."

Sakura just shook her head. "I know. You weren't actually gonna do anything after all."

Kakashi's brow raised. "And how do you know that?"

Sakura just shrugged. She wasn't sure if genin was supposed to know how to detect chakra anyway. And it seemed like he wasn't particular to her so she was sure that his curiosity wouldn't be very high on her.

 _Impressive. She actually caught me in surprise. I didn't feel her at all until she landed infront of me._ Kakashi reflected, gazing at his only female genin with approval. _She could have landed a kick or a punch there and then. But she chose to pull Naruto back._

Sakura eyed her sensei warily and placed a hand on her kunai pouch.

"Ahhh not so rash again Sakura chan." Kakashi suggested in a drawling manner, which annoyed Sakura. She had a feeling that her sensei was about to do something demeaning.

Sakura's skin pricked as the wind started to pick up. _Oh no, what is this?_ She fretted, carefully observing her surroundings. The leaves started to swirl around her, her hair flying in the wind.

 _This should shake her up._ Kakashi thought in amusement. _After all, girls these days care more about boys than their training._

"Ninja tactic know how number two, genjutsu." Kakashi muttered, leaping to a hiding place to watch how Sakura would fall to his illusion, as no doubt she would, given that he was going to use her ultimate weakness against her.

Sakura calculatedly looked around her, eyeing every leaf swirling. Her vision blurred for a moment, and she had to blink several times, cautiously trying to remove the blur. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out why her eyes were blurring. But despite that, her stand and position was steady, and she kept her observation focused, so she could feel near attempted attacks.

 _Huh. This girl sure is something. She looks calm and focused for someone who's experiencing a genjutsu from my level. She should be in a daze._ Kakashi curiously wondered. She was supposed to be the weakest link of the three. But right now, she looked ready for anything.

Then suddenly, her head snapped up and her eyes bore directly to where he was hiding.

 _What-? She spotted me!_ Kakashi exclaimed in his thoughts, truly shocked now. He was near invisible as he kept his chakra dimmed and low. There was no way she could have spotted him. Not even any Jounin could have spotted him too.

 _Found you!_ Sakura declared to herself, feeling the faint signal of her sensei. He was currently perched a little above her, and not too far away. So he must be observing her for something. _For what? For that half assed wind swirling? Even a kindergarten could have-_

"Sakura." A strangled voice called out behind her. She immediately twisted around, her kunai pulled out and held expertly in her hand. Crouching, she faced whoever called her out.

It was Sasuke.

Wounded. Bloodied. Dying.

"S-Sasuke?" Her voice was only a whisper, as her eyes glued to the image before her.

 _Shit. Fuck. He's dying. I haven't read that medical book yet. I don't know shit about healing. Allison always did it for me. Shit. Shit._ "Sasuke?" She called out shakily. About 10 kunai was sticking out of him, one was even stuck in his eyes. His mouth was flowing with blood. She shivered in fear. She had seen many deaths but she never got over any one of them. Every night, her nightmares just increased as the people she tried to help died anyway. Every night, as she fell asleep, her subconscious would bathe her in blood, with a world of visions and voices of all the people she failed.

But no, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. No, she was not going to lose him this way. Not on her watch. Not again. Not the hero she was supposed to protect. Or even if he wasn't the hero, she would be damned if she let him die today. Not for this. Sasuke may be a jerk and a condescending bastard, but she somehow knew that he cared more than he let on. And she'd be damned if he died without her figuring it out. She had always been passionate about jerks with sob stories, for some ass reason.

 _What the fuck is sensei doing? Is he really trying to kill us? Did I figure this out all wrong?_

In her haste, she quickly maneuvered the air around her so she could teleport from her spot to the spot next to Sasuke's.

From above, Kakashi blinked. _Did she just….?_

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out in a soothing and a surprisingly steady voice. But she was determined to save him so it wasn't that much of a shocker. She was currently racking her brains to remember what Allison did whenever she tried to heal someone. She used those damn leaves, but she was Sakura Haruno. She could do anything. She just had to remember how. "You're alright. We'll figure this out okay? Steady now." She carefully placed an arm around Sasuke's shoulders and hoisted him carefully down her lap.

"Help me…" He croaked in a desperate and broken voice.

Sakura froze.

She blinked slowly, staring at the figure laying down on her.

 _She stopped._ Kakashi mused, still not really recovering at Sakura's teleport act earlier. He was mentally trying to remember if there was anything in her records stating that this girl had the capacity for any advanced technique. Plus, she was impossibly steady. Seeing someone dying, especially someone you deeply care about would shake up anyone. He even expected her to faint. But she approached him with an expert grip and gently tried to help him. He sensed the fear in her. But she handled it well. It was like she had seen many deaths before, and had determinedly tried to save this one.

The weird thing was, how could she had witnessed anything that gruesome. She had just graduated from the academy.

But now she stopped.

Sakura closed her eyes in disbelief. She couldn't believe it, she was completely mislead. Strung along by her weakness of dying friends, though of course Kakashi would have thought that her weakness was just Sasuke. But to her, it was actually the dying part.

She was careless. She didn't even realize that this was all fake. She didn't even bother to check because the first and foremost thing on her mind was Sasuke dying.

Because Sasuke would never ask for help.

He could be dying and he might actually want help, but he would never voice it out. Or he would but he'd make it seem like you were doing it for yourself, and not for him.

She might not know him for very long, but she knew Sasuke enough to know that he was the type.

So when he voiced out his need for help, without any disguise of it, she knew it was fake. And she was right, the moment she actually focused on Sasuke enough, it was just a wall of chakra, injected straight to her head.

She sighed, snapping her fingers so the chakra in her head would dispel. It was a pretty good illusion too. It played on her weakness and her senses, since she was actually able to touch the Sasuke illusion. But she was a fool to not notice it until the last minute. She would have ended up wasting her chakra trying to heal an image in her head.

It was also really ridiculous that Kakashi's only test for her was Sasuke. It was both offending and relieving. It meant that he was still underestimating her, but it also meant that he thought little of her. Naruto got Kakashi's action packed taijutsu, and she assumed that lesson 3 would be ninjutsu, which Sasuke would probably be getting. But she merely got a genjutsu that only played with her emotions, without a real challenge too.

She vowed to go after him later, just enough to shake him up a little.

 _Well played Kakashi sensei. But now I gotta get out of here. This test is becoming more confusing._ Because as much as it wasn't a challenge for her, a simple genin still would have completely fell for that. It meant that Kakashi sensei was really not gonna pass a simple genin, which sounded completely unfair. But maybe he only wanted prodigies on his team. Whatever it was he wanted, she needed to figure it out first.

 _Okay, now she dispelled it so quickly. That was no ordinary genjutsu too. Not advanced, but not too easy either. This girl really is…._ Kakashi maintained a steady neutral gaze on her, his thoughts processing the new information about the third member of his team. _For a supposed fangirl, not bad._

Sakura's gaze narrowed at her sensei's subtle calculation of her.

"HEY WEIRDO HAIR!" Naruto bellowed from the river. "STOP BULLYING OUR SAKURA CHAN!"

Sakura turned to Naruto. "Naruto! What are you doing?"

Naruto gave her a thumbs up. "I'm all good now Sakura chan! I have a plan!"

Sakura thought for a second, mentally weighing if she could leave it to Naruto now. Well it seemed like Kakashi sensei wouldn't really endanger them. Naruto was the front attacker in their team after all, she could observe and see what Kakashi was trying to make them do. So she smiled and nodded. "Then I leave it to you. Save some for me!"

Naruto winked. With one last glare at Kakashi's direction, Sakura disappeared.

 **Sasuke! Did you see that? She disappeared!** Naruto mentally exclaimed.

Sasuke just shook his head. **If you have been paying attention, you'd have seen more. She appeared out of nowhere to save you, she had successfully dispersed Kakashi's illusion, and she teleported a number of times.**

 **WHAT REALLY?! How in the world did you see Kakashi's illusion?**

 **I have the sharingan of course. No illusion gets past me.**

 **Braggart.**

Sasuke pursed his lips. **Now we have all the proof we need to claim that Sakura is definitely not herself. We corner her later.**

Naruto nodded in agreement. **As much as I don't want to, I guess we need to. Sakura is so nice now, but she shouldn't be yet. Anyway don't distract me now, I gotta focus on this next act.**

Sasuke's forehead furrowed. **What are you doing anyway? Kakashi's already done with you. Shouldn't you be stealing the lunch now?**

Naruto stuck his tongue out in his mind at Sasuke. **It was so not done yet. I was supposed to outsmart Kakashi sensei with my kage bunshin. He still made a total fool out of me but it atleast showed I have potential. Besides, you need an opening.**

Sasuke sighed. **Dobe.**

Naruto squinted at Kakashi, eyeing him closely. Kakashi just raised his brows in amusement. Naruto scowled and threw 2 shurikens at him. But Kakashi merely caught it with his 2 fingers.

"What's wrong? You won't get any lunch if you don't get a bell by noon." Kakashi taunted, flicking the bells at his waist. The bells made a sweet toying sound.

Naruto glowered at him. "I already know!"

Kakashi smiled at him, and it was so fake that it made Naruto's blood boil. Or at least, he was showing that it did. Deep inside, he was just amused of his sensei's antics. In reality, Kakashi was one of the most considerate shinobi. Kakashi was just trying hard to piss them off now. After all, they were all truly bratty in the past. He was hungry for attention, Sasuke was blinded with rage, and Sakura was obsessed with her dream guy. They all had issues. They needed to get kicked on the face. "Your records say that you would always claim that you're going to exceed the hokages but your actions say otherwise."

Naruto's stomach grumbles.

 **Naruto, how are you hungry? You ate like 10 bowls of ramen earlier!** Sasuke watched Naruto with a hint of concern in his eyes.

Naruto merely chuckled in his thoughts. **Oh it's a trick I mastered. I'm always hungry Sasuke. Although I'm okay right now, I can summon that hunger and make my stomach growl. 'Sides, it would be weird if we don't look hungry at least.**

Turning his thoughts back to Kakashi, Naruto snapped. "Damn it! Damn it! I can still fight even when I'm hungry! I was just off guard a while ago!"

Kakashi tilted his head. "So distracted that your pretty teammate even had to save you?"

Naruto scowled, but he chose to ignore the jab. After all, Sakura was not supposed to save him before. So he wasn't very sure how to respond now.

"Damn it! I'm hungry so my powers are…but I have to get a bell no matter what! I can't…I can't fail at a place like this no matter what." He declared, looking like his usual confident self again.

The water in the river started to move.

"I'm going to become a ninja!"

Kakashi threw a look at the water, wondering what Naruto had up his sleeve. _This boy is pretty determined, although he acts like an idiot. ACTS like an idiot. I can see some level of understanding in his eyes, but he tries hard to hide it. First the fan girl, now the idiot boy? What team did that old geezer give me?_

Then Naruto's clones jumped off the water. Kakashi looked sideways at it.

"Security is your greatest enemy! This is my best technique. The mass shadow replication!" One of the clones bellowed down at him.

Kakashi internally nodded, somewhat impressed. But only just a bit. After all, Naruto still directly attacked, without a real plan. _Shadow replications instead of replication? It must be the forbidden technique he used to beat Mizuki. Assuming from his abilities_ , _he can only use that for a minute._

Kakashi watched the clones descend on him, a little bemused. He was being all out again. No strategy at all.

But then suddenly, Naruto jumped from behind him and locked Kakashi's arms. The bells jingled sweetly as Kakashi staggered from Naruto's force.

"What..? From behind?" Kakashi exclaimed in surprised.

The corners of Naruto's mouth quirked up. "A ninja shouldn't let the enemy get behind him, right Kakashi sensei? I used the shadow replication, let one sneak out from the lower part of the river, and made it sneak behind you."

 _Ahhhh good one Naruto. Although….not nearly enough yet._ Kakashi mused, quickly replacing himself with one of the clones and leaping high out of sight. Of course, Naruto would not have seen that.

And he didn't in the past. But now, he did.

 **Ahhh Kakashi sensei made his escape now.** Naruto informed Sasuke. **It would be your turn soon.**

Sasuke nodded in agreement. But then he smiled and chuckled. **Yes. Now time to go punch yourself.**

Naruto mentally groaned. **Awww hell.**

The clones quickly held down the figure that was Kakashi sensei, while one jumped high in the air for a punch.

"I'm going to pay you back for that attack on my butt! Er I mean the attempted attack on my butt. " **Ooops.**

 **Sheesh you're such a Dobe.**

Naruto ignored Sasuke. "I'm going to punch you!" He yelled at Kakashi.

But as he punched the Kakashi who was locked and held down by his clones, it suddenly transformed into one of the clones.

All of the clones froze as one. They looked around and tried to comb through each one of them for Kakashi.

"You must be kakashi sensei! You transformed into me didn't you?" One of the clones shouted. Then he threw a punch at one of the Narutos. That one retaliated, which accidentally hit another. The other clones started accusing each other of being Kakashi. They all started throwing punches at one another.

 **Damn it. This is stupid. But kinda funny.** Naruto praised the scene.

Sasuke chuckled. **Only you would think that.**

Naruto rolled his eyes. **Whatever. Anyway, I'm not gonna make more of a fool of myself. Kakashi's gonna try to bait me with the bells later. Which would turn out to be a trap and I would end up hanging upside down. I'M NOT DOING THAT. So go attack him now.**

 **You're really a dobe. You would rather punch yourself than hang upside down.** Sasuke stated in bemusement, shaking his head.

Naruto snorted. **Well at least the punching myself was backed up by a plan, sneaking behind Kakashi sensei and all that. The hanging upside down was just me being stupid.**

 **You are being stupid on both of them.** Sasuke said matter of factly. But before Naruto could retort, Sasuke sighed and nodded. **But fine, I'll attack him now.**

Spotting Kakashi, who was now sneaking to a tree to set up his trap for Naruto, Sasuke immediately threw several shurikens in a circular angle towards Kakashi's direction.

Naruto, who finally was able to beat all his clones, gasped in a mixture of shock and fear. Kakashi barely had time to glance at the shurikens before it hit him.

Sakura was now blending at a nearby tree. She watched this new development. She was also watching when Naruto attacked Kakashi. It was a decent plan and all, but not against an opponent that was of high caliber.

 _Obviously, a genin couldn't handle it. But he was still too fast even for a chuunin and all that. Let's see how Sasuke will fare._

Unlike earlier, Sakura was really focusing now. So she knew that Kakashi had already replaced himself with a log before the shuriken even hit him.

"He got hit! Sasuke overdid it!" Naruto screamed in shock.

But as soon as the target made a distinct thud on the ground, everyone could see that it was now a log.

Sasuke now quickly turned and ran away from his location. Of course the past Sasuke was smart running away because his failure to actually hit kakashi had made his location known. But regardless, Kakashi managed to spot him anyway. Not that the Sasuke now was trying hard to hide himself. After all, it was now his turn.

Now time to taunt his beloved sensei.

"They all failed. But of course, I'm different from them." He said with that arrogant tone that seemed to come naturally from him, even if he didn't mean it sometimes. Of course, he meant it most of the time.

"Why don't you say that after you get a bell, Sasuke-kun?" Kakashi casually said from behind him.

Without saying another word, Sasuke threw a shuriken towards kakashi, who easily just jumped to the side. He was really lucky that he was Sasuke. He could be all solemn because that was just what he was. Naruto had to pretend to be an extreme idiot. And if Sakura turned out to be in all this, then she would have to pretend to be a giggling fan girl.

"There's no use in using just normal attacks." Kakashi lazily stated, his voice dripping with disappointment.

But Sasuke merely threw another shuriken to cut off a rope on the other side.

Kakashi blinked. "A trap?"

Suddenly, more shuriken threw itself at Kakashi's exact spot. So Kakashi leaped away again. But just as he landed, Sasuke appeared behind him.

"What…?"

Sasuke aimed to kick his face. He blocked with his arm. He then held said leg, effectively trapping it. But Sasuke twisted and tried to punch him. Kakashi caught said fist. Sasuke then used his last free leg to aim another kick. But Kakashi blocked it with another arm where the hand held the fist. Now having all of Kakashi's hands occupied with holding his punching arm and kicking leg, Sasuke used his last hand to reach the bell. He ended up touching it.

But before Sasuke could fully grab it, Kakashi used his whole body to push Sasuke away.

Sasuke twisted in the air so he could land cleanly on his 2 feet.

 **You know, I really am a genius child. I went as far as touching the bell. And that was a pretty impressive plan for a novice.**

 **Yeah go lick yourself Sasuke.** Naruto snorted.

Standing upright once more, Sasuke flashed a cocky smile on his face. Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

 **Awww Sasuke it's unfair. I bet that stupid grin is actually real and not an act.** Naruto grumbled, envying the fact that Sasuke could still act all cool at this time.

Sasuke merely rolled his eyes in his thoughts. **Doesn't matter. Go steal the lunches Dobe. You need to be tied to the tree.**

Sighing, Naruto leaped ahead to the memorial stone. And just as he remembered, the lunches where right behind them.

Naruto started to smile. Even if it was a stupid prank that his younger self did, at least it involved food.

So with a jolly face, Naruto declared, "ITADAKIMASU!"

Back at Sasuke and Kakashi's battle, Kakashi's expression turned neutral once more.

"I'll admit that you're different from those 2."

But Sasuke didn't give a chance for his teacher to say more, he immediately started to form symbols, so mastered as if he was doing it all his life. Which even in the past, he actually was anyway.

"Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" He bellowed in a steady voice, then he blew a big ball of fire towards Kakashi's direction.

After a few seconds, the fire disappeared. But with it, Kakashi was also gone.

 **HAHA Sasuke! You know what Kakashi's about to do to you right? Are you gonna let him? KICK HIS ASS! KICK HIS ASS!** Naruto mumbled through a mouthful of the rice he was eating.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at him. **Shut up. I need to be buried in the ground as a realization for me that I'm not as good as I think.**

Naruto merely chuckled. **So serious all the time. Well it's your choice. Me? I'm enjoying our lunches!**

 **YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT IT YET! KAKASHI WAS SUPPOSED TO CATCH YOU BEFORE YOU EAT IT? DID YOU TOTALLY GET YOURSELF OFF KAKASHI'S RADAR?** Sasuke fretted, knowing that their plan wouldn't work without Sasuke feeding his food to Naruto. Without the food, there was no second test.

Naruto swallowed without a care. **Relax Teme. I'll go get another batch before he even comes back here.**

Sasuke glowered at him. **You better! And hurry up, he's almost done with me.**

Just as he said that, he was pretending to look around frantically in search of Kakashi.

"At the sides, above, behind…?" He muttered quickly, his eyes roaming.

Then Kakashi's lazy voice emanated from the ground. "Beneath you! Doton Shinjuuzanshu no Jutsu."

A hand emerged from the ground and grabbed Sasuke's leg. The next thing Sasuke knew, he was pulled completely into the ground with only his head sticking out.

Kakashi, having jumped out of the ground, crouched over Sasuke.

"This is the third ninja tactic know how. Ninjutsu. How is it? Can't move right?" Kakashi drawled. Sasuke pointedly looked away. "Looks like your talent is exceptional. But–"Kakashi stood up. "They say that stakes that point out get driven back into the ground.

"Damn it!' Sasuke cursed angrily.

Kakashi disappeared and went off to Naruto's chakra signal, which was beside the memorial stone.

Naruto had the 3 lunches open infront of him. It looked like he was about to eat. In reality, Naruto had already eaten the actual lunches. These were just replacements.

"Oy!" Kakashi called out to him, with an annoyed glint in his eye.

Naruto fearfully turned to look at his sensei behind him. He laughed awkwardly. "That was a joke and…"

But Kakashi rebuked angrily, "Too late!"

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Sakura came down from her hiding place and looked at Sasuke's buried head in the ground.

"Sasuke." Sakura called his attention hesitantly.

Sasuke raised his brows questioningly. "Sakura."

She frowned, but she didn't make a move to approach him. _Well if he's trapped there, it's just one more bell for me to get._

Kakashi appeared behind her. "Ahhh so this is where you are Sakura chan. I was wondering where you were. Came to save Sasuke this time?"

At the sound of Kakashi's voice, Sakura immediately twisted and delivered a swift kick on his chest. Kakashi moved away, but Sakura's fist was already moving towards him too. Kakashi dodged once more, only to avoid another kick. Kakashi leaped away, but Sakura suddenly appeared behind the place he was supposed to land. Kakashi somersaulted to land a few inches away to avoid another punch. Just as he was landing again, Sakura pulled out a kunai and threw it at him. Kakashi moved but another set of kunai was heading towards him. Moving in another direction, Sakura had thrown another set of kunai which hit the earlier thrown kunai with a slick clang, which changed its direction towards Kakashi again.

One of them managed to scrape a thin slice on the edge of Kakashi's shoulder.

Kakashi grasped his bleeding shoulder in surprise. Everything happened so fast, he was barely avoiding her. This was no ordinary speed. It was calculated and smartly strategized, added to how fast she was too. Kakashi quickly leaped a distance away. Sakura stayed in the place where she was. She was just looking at him with frustration.

Sakura shook her head. "You are too fast." In Sakura's head, it wasn't fast enough, but it was nearly Jounin's level. Kakashi couldn't expect them to actually be that fast too. Kakashi just wouldn't yield. She already even managed to injure him. But he wasn't giving her a chance to even get close to the bell. She decided earlier to just try up to how much Kakashi will try to shield the bells. It seemed like he would guard it with his life. Because even Sasuke was easily at chuunin level.

 _One last attempt._

Sakura concentrated on the soil beneath her and lifted a think chunk of earth and threw it towards Kakashi. Kakashi's eye widened.

Kakashi leaped to the side. But Sakura just split the earth open beneath him. Kakashi twisted and jumped high into the air. Sakura pointed her palms to the trees and made the branches lash out at Kakashi. Kakashi blinked in actual shock but he stepped on the branches to even jump higher. Kakashi made a few hand signs so that he could land smoothly back on the ground, which suddenly erupted.

With a frustrated groan, Kakashi used the earth to jump to the side.

He landed on his knees.

Kakashi was gasping for air. He could handle more but he really wasn't anticipating anything today. After all, it was supposed to be just a bunch of genins. Sakura's act totally caught him by surprise. He immediately got up on his feet and cautiously crouched in preparation of what this enigma of a fangirl might do next. _Okay, I'll have to check if this girl has an affiliation to earth. Honestly, those records focused on Sasuke and Naruto too much. I don't know much about Sakura, only that she's the smartest girl in class, she's a fangirl, and she's adequate in taijutsu. That was no fucking adequate._

But Sakura was now scowling at him. "Seriously sensei! You're not giving us a chance! No genin could have done that!"

Kakashi raised a brow. "You're right Sakura chan. No genin could have pulled that off. So how did you?"

Sakura pursed her lips in thought but she shrugged at Kakashi's question. "Sasuke could do fire. I was just faster and a little more prepared."

Behind them, Sasuke was watching the scene incredulously. But he didn't say anything, he was still observing Sakura with suspicion.

In Sakura's head, Sakura was now wondering what the hell they were supposed to do. Kakashi was guarding the bells with his life. Maybe the real goal was not really about getting the bells. But if that wasn't it, then what was the goal?

 _Okay focus Sakura._ Sakura looked at Kakashi from head to toe. Kakashi stiffened. But Sakura continued on. _Two bells for 2 people. One would have to fail. But there are traditionally 3 people in genin teams…_

 _Elimination and replacement?_ Sakura laid out her variables. _Or made on purpose so we would fight for it with all our might. Since there are 2 bells, we wouldn't dare to help our teammates because they are a potential threat…_

"OH!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed, her stand straightening. "HOW DID I NOT SEE IT?! I KNOW WHAT THIS SHIT IS ALL ABOUT."

Kakashi blinked in surprise in Sakura's sudden change in direction. She beamed at him and turned around, running towards Sasuke. _Oh, she figured it out…?_

She knelt down by Sasuke's head and tapped the ground. Suddenly, the ground around Sasuke became a liquid like state. Sakura extended a hand towards Sasuke. "Come on! I know what we have to do! We have to find Naruto!"

Sasuke looked up with a blank expression, but he was struggling to keep it blank.

 **NARUTO. Shit Sakura figured out the test.**

Naruto gasped. He was currently tied to a log for attempting, well actually stealing the lunches. **But I thought Sakura was supposed to know about this since she's also from the future.**

Sasuke shook his head. **Well I initially thought that she had skills from the future. But if you saw her earlier, I swear she's so much more than how she was the last time we saw her. I mean she's almost Jounin like but I know she's still holding back a lot. I can't let her end the test with this, with her just figuring it out. We need to actually want to help each other, not help because it's what's needed to survive this test.**

 **THEN RUN.** Naruto idiotically suggested. But for once, Sasuke listened.

Sasuke jumped out of the earth on his own and turned a scathing glare towards Sakura, whose expression froze.

"I will never work with you idiots. I'm different from you!" Then he ran off.

Sakura reached out a hand. "SASUKE no! Please! Listen to me!" She pleaded in a strangled voice.

Sakura stomped a foot in frustration. _That jerk!_ "Fine, then Naruto first." Throwing a glance at Kakashi, Sakura smiled and winked. "I'll be right back! We will pass this!" Her excitement was evident in her voice.

 **Heads up! Sakura's heading towards you!** Sasuke warned Naruto, who gulped audibly.

Soon, Sakura found Naruto.

"Naruto!" Sakura called in surprise. "What happened?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "I got hungry so I tried to eat. Kakashi sensei caught me."

Sakura giggled. "So like you to do that Naruto. I'll share my lunch with you later, don't worry." Naruto's face paled. Sakura assumed it was just because of the tightness of the rope. She pulled out a kunai and tried to cut down the rope.

But Naruto kicked her kunai away. "Mmmmm no Sakura chan. I need to stay here."

Sakura's forehead creased and raised a questioning brow. "No you don't. We can tie you up again before lunch. Right now, you're still in the running for the bells. We gotta work together! With Sasuke! That's the answer of the test."

Naruto's expression turned angry. "NO WAY! I WILL NEVER WORK WITH THAT TEME!"

Sakura shook her head quickly. "No no. Listen to me Naruto, we don't have much time. There are two bells right? And there's three of us! The test was supposed to turn us against each othe-"

RIIIIIIIING!

The bell rang clearly through the woods.

"NO!" Sakura cried out, falling down to her knees and arms flying up to the sky.

 **YES!** Sasuke and Naruto cheered in their thoughts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Soon, after the bells rang, they were gathered by the stumps. Naruto was in the middle of Sasuke and Sakura and was still tied to the log. Kakashi had his arms crossed infront of them.

"Your stomachs are growling eh?" Kakashi pointed out neutrally. It was just Naruto though. Sasuke was fine with his heavy breakfast. Sakura had been trained to endure small meals.

"By the way, about the results of this training, None of you need to return to the ninja academy." Kakashi informed them.

There was a stunned silence.

After a beat, Naruto started to celebrate. "YAAAY! YES YES YES!"

Sasuke kept civil, but a smug smile was on his lips.

But Sakura narrowed her eyes at kakashi. They spectacularly failed the test after all. There would be a catch.

Kakashi eye smiled. "Yeah you 3 should quit being ninjas."

And there it was.

Of course, it was Naruto who immediately started complaining. "Quit being ninjas?! what do you mean? We couldn't get a bell but why do you have to say that we have to quit?"

Kakashi's eye smile disappeared, and it turned stern. "It's because you 3 are just kids who don't deserve to be ninjas."

Naruto slightly turned his head to Sasuke. **You gonna attack him this time?**

Sasuke slightly nodded. **Yep. Have to. I was arrogant little Sasuke after all.**

Naruto smirked. **You mean STILL arrogant Sasuke.**

Sakura subtly watched the two. _And there they go again, silently communicating with each other. I wonder if they're plotting something._

Suddenly, Sasuke stood up and charged towards Kakashi.

Sakura's mouth dropped open. _Ohkay. That's unexpected. That was Naruto's style. Hmmm then again, Sasuke is prideful. And Kakashi deliberately taunted our pride._

She could have stopped Sasuke. But she was sure that if she did, he would turn to attack her instead.

But with a flash, Sasuke ended up lain flat on his face on the ground, with Kakashi sitting on him.

"See." Kakashi triumphantly told them. "You're just kids."

Watching the three of them carefully, he started to lecture them. "Do you guys think that being a ninja is easy? Why do you think we're training by breaking up into groups. In other words, you 3 don't understand the meaning of this test."

Sakura opened her mouth but Kakashi raised a hand to stop her.

"I know you realized it before the time ran out. But if you merely realized it, it meant that you're doing it because it's the rule of the test, not because you would genuinely do it."

Kakashi threw a glance at Naruto though, acknowledging that Sakura leaped down to Naruto's defense without a sneaky motive. But it wasn't enough. She only helped to defend him from harm, but she didn't help him get a bell because that would harm her own security.

"That's right. Sakura was right. The answer to determine whether you pass or fail. Geez are your brains empty? You don't understand why you're all in a group? It's teamwork."

Tilting his head, tauntingly, Kakashi continued. "That's right. But it's too late to even notice it now. If all three of you came at once, you could have gotten a bell. But that's too bad. This test tries to put you against each other. In this situation, we select those who prioritize teamwork before themselves. That was the purpose. But all of you were pathetic."

He turned to Naruto. "Naruto! All you did was work on your own."

He turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke! You assumed that those two were only going to burden you so you did everything by yourself."

He turned to Sakura. "Sakura! You never helped them for the bells. I know you tried to save them when they were in danger, but you didn't assist them in the mission. You left Sasuke buried until you realized that you would need him."

Naruto gasped and looked at Sakura with disbelief. **What the hell? She left you buried Sasuke?!**

 **Shut up Dobe. She tried to save me too in Kakashi's illusion.**

 **HAHAHA Loser. Sakura saved me first.**

 **Whatever Dobe. She was almost crying while saving me.**

Sakura returned Naruto's gaze curiously.

 _What?_ She asked him with her eyes. Naruto just shook his head and winked.

Kakashi ignored the three weirdos and continued his lecture. "Missions are done in groups. It's true that ninjas need well developed individual habits. But it's team work that is much more important. An individual action that disrupts the teamwork will result in danger and even in death for the teammates."

Then Kakashi pulled out a kunai and pointed it on Sasuke. "Sakura! Kill Naruto or Sasuke's going to die!"

Instinctively, before Kakashi even finished his sentence, Sakura had already thrown a senbon, so fast that no one knew she did it until it hit Kakashi's hand, the one holding the kunai.

"SHIT! WHAT THE-" Kakashi staggered back, which left Sasuke free to move away. Sasuke stood up awkwardly, not really sure what to do next since he was free. Last time, Kakashi sat on him the whole time. So now he just slowly walked back to where he was sitting.

The senbon went cleanly straight through Kakashi's hand.

Silence descended all of them as they watched Kakashi's hand bleed.

"Uhhhh…Sorry kakashi sensei." Sakura stammered, fiddling with her fingers. "I know you were trying to make a point but it surprised me. It was just instinct. I'm sorry."

Kakashi sighed. _Seriously, this girl… And instinct? How did she develop an instinct to act like that? Had she ever been in battles before?_ He pulled out the senbon and started to wrap a bandage around his hand.

"Er…..Would you like me to help you…sir?" Sakura hesitantly offered. Kakashi just shook his head.

"That's one way to handle it I guess. Incredibly dangerous since you could miss and hit your victim's neck instead. But with confident targeting skills, that's one way to handle it."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Anyway, assuming that you are overpowered, after getting someone taken hostage, you will be faced with a difficult decision, and someone might die."

He looked up to the sky as he secured the band aid. "In every mission, you put your life on the line."

The three of them solemnly nodded. As if they all came from war. Kakashi stared at the three. _I have the weirdest genin team ever._

Ignoring it again, he walked to the memorial stone. "Look at this, the numerous names carved into this stone. All these names are praised as heroes in this village."

Silence.

 **Naruto, say something. You're supposed to say that you like that and you would want to be there too!** Sasuke reminded him. But Naruto only shook his head.

Sasuke actually looked at Naruto now, and he could see the pain in his eyes, for all the friends he lost through the years. In the future, Neji's name was gonna be engraved in there. Naruto's father's name was there, and his mother's too. Itachi's name would be there.

And Sasuke understood why Naruto couldn't joke around with it like he did before.

Sakura watched the two in confusion.

Kakashi whispered. "The people there are those who were KIA. Killed in action." Sakura gasped, her eyes widening. _Oh. That's why Sasuke and Naruto looks like they're about to vomit._

"This is a cenotaph. The names of my friends are carved here as well." Kakashi paused, reflecting on the memories of his fallen friends. But he turned to look at his genin again. "I'll give you one more chance. However, the battle for the bell will be much harsher after lunch. Eat lunch only if you are up to the challenge. But, don't let Naruto eat. This is punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat early. If anyone feeds him, that person will immediately fail. I'm the rule here. Got it?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura's and Sasuke's lunches were now open and they had started eating.

But Sakura was minutely glancing at Naruto and his face twisted in agony more and more as time passed by.

Sakura couldn't swallow her rice at the sight.

She opened her mouth to offer her food, but Sasuke beat her to it.

"Here." Sasuke said coolly, raising his bento towards Naruto.

 **Eyyy Teme. Sakura was about to offer hers. Why didn't you let her?** Naruto thought to Sasuke in complaint.

Sasuke just sighed. **Kakashi is watching us. We have to make a show that you and I are close towards understanding each other. It's important for us to establish our friendship in the eyes of everyone so that we could have a defense for me when I turn criminal in the future.**

Naruto frowned. **But would you even still need to be a criminal? You're not still suffering in all that angst are you?**

 **Dobe. No. But it's through me that Orochimaru will have a change of heart. And I need to be the one to attack the 8 tails so that I could let him get away like last time. And to do that, I would need to let Madara take me like before. Remember Naruto, we need to try not to change too much.** Sasuke reminded Naruto, who merely shook his head at the absurdness of their situation.

 **Well we're obviously gonna save Itachi this time, right Sasuke? What do we do with him then? He needs to meet Kabuto during the war so that kabuto could be subjected to Izanami, so that he would change.**

 **We'll…..just plan it later on. One step at a time.**

 **Well we need to plan fast. Remember, you didn't kill your brother. He was already dying when he met you.**

 **I know that. Yeah we'll plan soon. After we confront Sakura. We need to know if we could somehow get her involved in all this.**

Presently, Naruto just scowled at Sasuke and turned away. "I'm okay even if I don't eat."

Sakura stood up and stomped her foot. "Stop being stubborn Naruto. We need to work together remember? Accept Sasuke's help! Don't be like him who would probably die first before eating anything from us!"

Sasuke's mouth set in a hard line. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"

"THAT WAS A COMPLIMENT!" Sakura cried in exasperation.

Sasuke's eyes squinted. "HOW IS THAT A COMPLIMENT?!"

"BECAUSE I SAID YOU'RE OFFERING HELP TO NARUTO!"

"NOONE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT SHIT!"

"Guuuuys. So not the time." Naruto protested, but his eyes glimmered with amusement.

Clearing his throat and ignoring Naruto's suggestive gaze, he continued. "Don't worry, I don't sense Kakashi sensei nearby. We three are going to get the bells together. It's only going to be trouble if he's hungry."

Sakura beamed and threw an arm around Sasuke. "Darling Sasuke is right Naruto! So listen to us and let us feed you! You're tied up and all anyway."

Then she pressed her lips to Sasuke's ears and whispered in a low voice only Sasuke would hear. "And Kakashi sensei is actually here. He's behind that tree listening to us."

Sasuke shrugged off Sakura's arm, which Sakura just playfully returned.

"Didn't we just fight? Get off." Sasuke said pointedly. Then Sasuke pulled Sakura's arm so that her head was infront of him. He also pressed his lips to her ears and whispered, "I know. But he's not leaving and we're running out of time. Naruto needs energy."

Sakura turned her head to look at Sasuke. She studied his face, as if looking for motives. But After a beat, Sakura smiled brightly at him. She giggled. "That's just LQ Sasuke bear. Anger is expressed to people you care enough about."

Sasuke raised his brows. "And yet I don't care about you and you annoy the shit out of me."

Sakura pouted and forcefully placed her chin on Sasuke's shoulder. "I love the way you lie."

Sasuke put a hand on her face. "I love how it would feel to crush your face."

Naruto groaned. "Guys the sexual tension is not making me any less hungry! And what's up with you both kissing each other's ears?!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke just started to feed Naruto. Sakura did the same after laughing a tinkling laugh and blowing a kiss at Sasuke.

After they finished their lunches, Kakashi suddenly appeared with a boom.

Sakura dropped her empty bento in surprise, but she was able to pull out her kunai readily.

"You three!" He said in a thunder like voice. "You 3 broke the rule. Are you prepared for punishment?"

Storm clouds began to surround them, as if a sudden freak of nature storm had appeared. "Any last words?"

Sakura's stance relaxed. _Ahhhh he's bluffing. Any last words my ass._

But beside her, Naruto started to tremble. "But..But..But…. You said…That's why these 2…."

Sasuke nodded and declared with a steely voice. "We're a three man team right? Yeah! We three are one!"

Naruto immediately agreed, fear dripping off his voice and confidence starting to build. "yeah yeah yeah! That's right!"

"Yes! 'Cause we're going to be an awesome team!" Sakura cheered, her voice completely casual and just cheery.

Kakashi raised his brows. "You three are one eh?"

Watching their fearful and wary faces, except Sakura, who looked positively bored now, _Honestly. I'm gonna ask about Ms. Enigmatic little Sakura later with the hokage,_ Kakashi finally smiled.

"You pass! You three are the first. People I had previously were blockheads who just listened to what I said. Ninjas need to think beyond the normal. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are called scum. But those who don't take care of their friends are even worse than scum."

Sakura nodded in awe. _That's a nice thing to remember. And it's true too._

Kakashi nodded at them proudly, finally smiling a true smile. "The training ends here. Everyone passes! The 7th group will start doing missions staring tomorrow! Let's go home!"

Kakashi had just passed a really weird team. But this team had a lot of potential. This should be interesting.

Pulling his orange book out and flashing one last smile to his new students, he disappeared with a swirl of leaves.

Sakura pulled out her kunai and immediately cut off Naruto's ropes.

"Oooof! Thanks Sakura chan!" Naruto gushed, rubbing the rope dents on his arms. Sakura smiled. "No problem Naruto! So! See you guys tomorrow?"

But as she stepped away, Naruto and Sasuke turned to block her way.

Sakura blinked. "What are you guys doing? Let me through. I still have some readings to do."

Sasuke crossed his arms and maintained his ground.

Sakura was already tired and she was not in the mood to play with Sasuke now. They just passed and the high was in her system. It confirmed that Sasuke and Naruto will be the heroes that she will support. She would keep an eye on them from now on. But for now, she needed to relax and eat dangos.

So she jumped high and spun in the air. But before she could land, Sasuke and Naruto appeared in a flash beside her while still up in the air and grabbed her arms. Sakura moved both her legs to aim a kick on both of them, but they pushed down her feet and circled around so she ended up in an arm hold prison as they landed.

Sakura placed her hands on Sasuke's and Naruto's arm and tapped them lightly.

They both immediately let go of her and grabbed their arms in pain. She just transmitted a burning energy down their arms.

Pulling out a kunai, Sakura showered a number of senbons on them. But they threw enough Kunai to counter them all, even the ones in the blind spots.

Sakura watched them in awe.

"You guys were totally holding back earlier with Kakashi sensei!" She exclaimed in realization.

Sasuke gazed straight at her. "And so were you."

Sakura froze, turning to Sasuke in surprise.

Sasuke was unfazed. He would find the truth now.

"So tell me, who the fuck are you?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A/N: **Bold letters = Sasuke and Naruto's communicated thoughts**

 _Italic letters = own thoughts_

Normal letters = Story

Previously:

 _Sakura watched them in awe._

 _"You guys were totally holding back earlier with Kakashi sensei!" She exclaimed in realization._

 _Sasuke gazed straight at her. "And so were you."_

 _Sakura froze, turning to Sasuke in surprise._

 _Sasuke was unfazed. He would find the truth now._

 _"So tell me, who the fuck are you?"_

NOW:

Sakura blinked. Well, that was an easy question.

"I'm Sakura." She said calmly, and if scrutinized closely, a little bit smugly too. With all the mystery surrounding her, this fact was the one solid truth that she could always declare. This was, after all, the one true thing about her. Or rather, the only thing that she remembered.

"Bullshit." Sasuke growled immediately. Sakura shrugged. She knew that her cover was blown. But they were asking her the wrong question, and she sure as hell was not going to make it easy for them. After all, they were hiding something too.

"Cut the crap Sakura. You know what we're talking about." Sasuke hissed, stepping in front of her and straightening himself to stand tall in an attempt to emphasize how small she was next to him. Which was comical really, since while it was true that Sakura's form now was small, Sasuke was also not big and not manly enough yet to look really intimidating.

Sakura wondered if perhaps it was a habit of his to stand intimidatingly. But for it to work, he had to have a build of a man. Maybe he had a build of a man before. But that doesn't make sense.

Sakura's brows furrowed in confusion, but she sighed tiredly. "I really really am Sakura. I don't know what you're trying to ask me." She pressed, looking hard at Sasuke's eyes. A beat passed as they stared hard at each other, looking for answers in one another's eyes. Sakura steadily held Sasuke's gaze, which was an easy thing to do since she was actually telling the truth.

Sasuke frowned, more confused now than earlier. It seemed that Sakura really was telling the truth. Or maybe she was just really a good liar. But Sakura was surprisingly blocking him. She was staring straight at his eyes after all. It wouldn't have been possible for her to resist. But there was a solid block around her mind. All he could really see was her striking green eyes boring into his. Frustrated, Sasuke leaned closer.

Of course, Sakura leaned closer too, now a playful smirk on her lips. She lifted her face to his and closed her eyes. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke shoved her away. Naruto giggled beside them.

"Awww I seriously thought that you guys were finally going to go at it." Naruto complained, laughter still audible from his voice.

Sakura shook her head, her lips in a lopsided grin. "I would, but Sasuke's eyes are bleeding. Scares the hell out of me."

Sasuke's mouth dropped open in shock. Naruto also visibly froze, gasping.

Sakura tilted her head at them. "Oh were you trying to hide that?"

Naruto peered at her cautiously. "You should not have seen that at all Sakura chan! That was under a really powerful illusion!"

Sakura sniffed the air and narrowed her eyes at Sasuke. Then she blinked in surprise. "Oh! You're right! I didn't notice it, but there's a load of chakra surrounding you. I thought everyone knew that your left eye was violet and your other eye turned red from time to time."

Sasuke gaped at her. "Sakura." He said lowly, almost dangerously. "Please, tell us. Who are you…"

Sakura lifted her palms up in defense. "Look I'm not going to tell anybody okay? I'm not even sure what that is! Must be powerful though. That chakra around you is lethal."

"But…..then how come you can see right through it?" Naruto whispered, nervously glancing at Sakura and Sasuke.

Sakura bit her lip. "That's….well I don't know. I just can."

One moment, they were all just standing there surveying each other. But in a flash, Sakura's back was slammed against one of the logs and Sasuke's arm was pressed against her neck, holding her there. Sasuke used his other hand to cover her mouth, just in case she tried to kiss him while they were in that position. Sakura smiled under his hand, noticing his action. But he then lowered his face right in front of hers so he could gaze directly in her eyes.

Sakura gave a mumbled gasp. Sasuke's eyes narrowed because he wasn't really getting through her, but Sakura seemed to feel something. Sakura started to say something but his tight cover on her mouth prevented them from understanding it.

"Er….Sasuke, I think you should let her go?" Naruto told him hesitantly, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

Sasuke turned to Naruto in disbelief. "How can you be so calm about this?! An intruder might have come after us!"

Naruto shrugged helplessly. "I know how it looks like. But I really believe that this is Sakura chan. I can feel it! Can't you?"

Sasuke paused, throwing a glance at Sakura who was still struggling to say something. He could feel her lips moving against his hand. In any other case, he would have felt disgusted. But this was Sakura after all. He felt nonchalance and tolerance. The same way he felt for that pink haired annoying princess they all had to cherish in the past. It was a weird thing to keep in mind since she was also a ninja after all. She was there to fight too. But all three male members of their team 7 were always inclined to keep her safe. That was why it was such a jolt in the stomach to wake up from Orochimaru's curse and find her all beaten up, her hair cut all raggedly during that second round of the chuunin exams. His first instinct was to beat anyone who hurt her.

He sighed, Naruto was right. It didn't make sense but this really did feel like Sakura. She was different but the same all at once.

So he removed his hand covering her mouth, but he kept his arm on her neck. She could always just kick him off anyway. The fact that she didn't meant that she was probably finally willing to cooperate.

Clearing her throat and shooting him an annoyed glance, she opened her mouth and said what she was trying to say earlier. "You're trying to get in my head and manipulate me. I could feel it. You're trying to push your illusions in my head."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. So it was working after all. She was just blocking him.

"If you're not hiding anything, then you wouldn't be blocking me."

Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. That was just self-defense. I wasn't actively trying to push you out."

"So does that mean that you would let me in?"

Sakura laughed, her tinkling chuckles feeling weird in the situation. "Of course not Sasuke kun. No matter what, it's still weird to allow anyone in my head."

Sasuke scowled at her. "You let Kakashi get you in that stupid low quality genjutsu earlier! And you fell for it!"

Sakura scoffed. "That was not low class. High average maybe. Besides, he was just showing me illusions. You're trying to open my brain. Why, you jealous? I would always let you in if you ask me to open." She winked suggestively. Sasuke immediately stepped back in horror.

Naruto cackled loudly. "Man you're a wimp teme! Let her pop your cherry!"

"You're 12 Sakura! Stop saying inappropriate things!" Sasuke groaned, a disgusted expression visible on his face as he continued to step back.

Sakura just smirked. She pushed herself off the log and crossed her arms. "I'm 12? And you're not? And are we ever getting to the point? Because if this is just you guys underestimating me, then I'll tell you that I have always been shy so I hid my skills in the academy. Now I don't have any reason to keep hiding. I'm already a shinobi."

Naruto's gaze stayed carefully fixed on her as he sized her up. But he watched her with gentle eyes like the softie that he was. "Is that the lie you will tell everyone when you perform more than what the young Sakura can really do?"

Sakura paused, her lips pursing as she turned towards Naruto. But after a beat, she decided to just fuck this. There was no way she could lie her way out of this. The two had seen too much. But so had she. Besides, she couldn't really lie to sweet Naruto.

"Yes." She answered simply. "Question though, nothing is really suspicious about me you know. At least, _nothing_ for those who's not supposed to know what _should_ happen. Even Kakashi sensei didn't see me as a threat as of now." _There, let them stew on that._ Sakura thought smugly as she watched Naruto and Sasuke's throw each other worrying glances. It was true anyway. She shouldn't have been too suspicious. She was blending in. Yes she was a little bit different, maybe, but she couldn't have been that weird to be attacked by these two. _Unless_ they knew something about her that they really shouldn't know yet.

Sasuke just shook his head at her and shrugged after a moment. "Kakashi doesn't regard you too much because he's underestimating you….for now."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. He's focusing on me and the teme I think."

"Oh. That makes sense." Sakura muttered, watching the two. "You're the heroes. He should focus on you."

Naruto and Sasuke's heads suddenly snapped up.

"What do you mean? We're the heroes? How would you know that?" Naruto fired off, leaning closer now to her.

 _Ooops._ Sakura thought sheepishly. _So much for staying inconspicuous._

"You know something Sakura. You honestly don't think you can still get away with this, right?" Sasuke leaned closer again, his nose almost pressing to hers.

 _Wow, his eyes are burning._ Sakura mused, gaping at Sasuke's sharingan.

"It's like art made of blood." Sakura said, unblinkingly gazing at Sasuke.

"What?" Sasuke said, his brows furrowed.

Naruto laughed. "She's admiring your beautiful set of eyes."

Sakura shook her head, her eyes still not leaving his. "Beautiful is not enough. Hauntingly gorgeous! That's the term!"

Sasuke scowled, finally pushing himself away from Sakura. "Stop acting like kids, will you? We're on a serious mission here!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "But we are kids. Are you not a kid, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's pursed his lips, crossing his arms and glaring at Sakura. He didn't respond.

 _Ahhh he lost his temper now._ Sakura thought, giggling. But he also didn't respond because she hit the issue on target. Sakura sighed. They weren't going to let it go. She won't too. But it looked like she needed to make the first step.

She decided that there would be no sense beating around the bush now. "I came from the future."

"Bull!" Sasuke immediately retorted.

Sakura scowled at him. "WHY WOULD YOU REBUF EVERYTHING I SAY? WHAT'S THE POINT OF TRYING TO GET A CONFESSION OUT OF ME?"

"WELL IF YOU WOULD JUST TELL THE TRUTH, THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE TO!" Sasuke growled with greater intensity.

"I AM TELLING THE TRUTH, MR. SORE EYES!"

"SORE EYES? THAT'S THE BEST YOU CAN DO? WELL THAT SUCKS YOU COTTON CANDY!"

"COTTON CANDY IS A COMPLIMENT YOU IDIOT!"

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT! COTTON CANDY IS A SICKENINGLY SWEET SHIT!"

"HOW DARE YOU! SWEETNESS IS GODLINESS!"

"SWEETNESS IS TRASH!"

Naruto placed himself between his two favorite people with a sigh and held up his hands. "Alright alright. Stop it. We're mature adults here…albeit stuck in a kid's body. But you get the idea."

Sasuke petulantly turned away with a _hmp._ Sakura narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.

"So. Sakura, you're from the future?" Naruto calmly asked her.

Sakura nodded her head stiffly, throwing a glare at Naruto, as if daring him to tell her she was lying too.

Naruto bit his cheeks. "But…Sakura. You see, we're from the future-"

Sakura gasped. "I knew it!"

"-and we know that you don't know anything." Naruto continued carefully. "You don't have any idea of what's going on here, do you?"

Sakura paused, blinking at him. Then she laughed, so suddenly that Sasuke turned to her again with a frown. "Ohhhh. I get it now. That's why you think I'm an enemy. You know what's gonna happen and I don't. Ah okay okay."

Sasuke eyes narrowed. "Yes, and this is not helping you clear your case."

Sakura glowered at him. "Shut up Sasuke. I was getting to that part if you would let me explain-"

"Then hurry and explain!" Sasuke cut her off.

"I was going to, you airhead! But no one seems good enough for you to listen to!"

"I listen to Naruto, and it should be offending for you since he's even more of an airhead!"

Naruto exasperatedly sighed. "Alright stop. STOP. No need to take on your battle and drag me along with it. I can't believe I'm stopping you two fight! Sasuke and I were the brawlers before! It's novel actually to see you, Sakura chan, duke it out on him."

Sakura sniffed. "I don't see how I never did before. He's such a pain in the ass."

Naruto chuckled. "I know right!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Are you going to explain Sakura or should we just go ahead and kill you now to solve this problem already."

"As if you can!" Sakura scoffed, throwing him a challenging look.

Sasuke started cracking his knuckles. "Don't tempt me."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "All bark no bite. You're such a pussy."

"YOU-"

"GUYS." Naruto complained loudly, his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Seriously, stop it! Man I know how you feel now Sakura. Back then when you were always trying to keep us from killing each other! Sheesh!"

Sakura smirked. "How predictable that you grew out of it and Sasuke-"

"Sakura." Naruto said, a warning in his tone now.

Sakura pouted and rolled her eyes. "Fine fine! Anyway, I'm from the future but I don't remember shit from the past."

Naruto frowned. "How so?"

Sakura shrugged. "I just don't. The first thing I remember is waking up at the beach of the Western Coast. That's it."

"Western…? What? Where is that?"

"The land beyond the sea."

Sasuke sneered. "Cut. The. Crap. That's a myth."

Sakura gave a half shrug. "So is this shinobi world. Or you. Naruto. Me. We're all a myth."

She inclined her head. "Look, I know it's hard to believe. When I got back to the past, it was also hard to believe….all this! It's all real! The shinobi world."

Sasuke pressed his lips together. "For the last time, bull. Don't psychoanalyze your way out of this. You can't just say that the land beyond the sea isn't myth since we are not myth too."

Sakura rolled her eyes and put two fingers on her head to massage her temples. "That's not- I mean, it's not-….tsk. Alright fine!"

Suddenly, Sakura was leaning towards Sasuke again, her eyes locked on his.

"What are you doing-"

"Not trying to kiss you this time. Just chill will you? I'm trying to concentrate."

Suddenly Sasuke's surroundings started to shimmer.

Sasuke blinked and started to move away. "You-"

Sakura grabbed his head and steadied it. "Don't move! I'm trying to show you, calm down!"

Sasuke pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at her, but he didn't move. After all, he was the master of genjutsu. One wrong move from Sakura and he could easily send back one of the most gruesome illusions he had. Not that she could really do anything to harm him.

Sakura groaned. "Stop that Sasuke, you're pushing me out!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Sorry. Instinct. Self-defense. Or whatever you call it."

Nevertheless, his surroundings twisted into something else. Suddenly, he was in a glowing place. Or at least it looked like it was glowing. The people….. _creatures…._ around him were shining in different colors. There were too much colors.

"What…." Sasuke's mouth dropped open as he surveyed his surroundings. Some of the… _things…_ moving about weren't human at all! There was a big ball bouncing about, with eyes and a tongue sticking out from what looked like a mouth. There was a giant, his head not visible in the clouds surrounding it. There was a snake flying around. Literally. It was gliding in the wind, as if it was slippery grass. There were many more indescribable creatures playing around, constantly moving about as if their asses were on fire. The buildings were topsy-turvy. One house was floating upside down.

"What…." Sasuke mumbled again, feeling breathless.

Sakura smiled next to him, looking around with a soft expression on her face. "Sorry. The West Main City is the busiest after all."

"The where?"

"The West. You're in one of my memories. I was just looking about the street. Wondering what to do and all that."

Sasuke clicked his tongue. "This is one elaborate genjutsu." And it was true. Every detail was enhanced, nothing blurry, nothing too magnified.

Sakura shrugged. "Because this is real. I told you, this is not just an invented illusion. This was my memory. I am showing you how I saw this back then."

Sasuke let out a long breath, relief filling his lungs. He didn't even realize he had stopped breathing until he willed himself to breath.

It was bizzare. That describes this strange dream-like place appropriately if nothing else.

Focusing with laser intensity, he activated his Sharingan to dispel the illusion. But this world went on without a hitch. The colors flashing all around, and all sorts of creatures moving in what seemed like a perfect sync, surrounding him and their busy chatters creating a loud common street noise, Sasuke felt his head start to pound. As a man who got used to being alone, it was a pain to be around people.

But too soon, the surroundings vanished again in a blur. They reappeared in what seemed like a rooftop, the night sky just above them, the stars muted because of the glow of the street lights. It was just like a huge blue blanket covering their city. They were atop the tallest building, as it overlooks all of this crazy place.

"This is the President's tower." A soft whisper breathed on his ear. He glanced at her, seeing the melancholy in her eyes as she stared down at the city she had called the West. "This is where I go every day after my missions."

Then a scuffling sound immediately brought him into defense. He whirled around to find a girl with long flowing pink hair, staring down at the city with a peaceful expression, albeit a little sad. She stood there, her hair flying gently with the wind, and her hands leaned on the railings.

And she was wearing an expression of a lost girl, admiring the beauty of the place she stumbled on.

Sakura nodded beside him, "And that is me."


End file.
